To Lose Something
by Vasili McFrost
Summary: Makina Kuroki transfers to Yamaku Academy after an accident caused by his Narcolepsy. He'll find new friends and experiences, but can he let go of the past and find love once again? OCxOC, OCxHanako, OCxAkira. Rated M for sexual content.
1. Act 0, Part I

Act 0, Part I, Prologue: "To Lose Something."

* * *

Kuroki "Jesus Christ, it's freezing."

If Christ heard my complaint, I had no way of knowing.

Miko "Senpai! Sorry to keep you waiting!"

A girl runs up to me. She has short, black hair and hazel eyes, as well as a pair of oval eyeglasses. She is wearing a school uniform just like mine, and is roughly a head shorter than me.

Kuroki "Miko, would it kill you to be on time?"

If I had to pick a moment before everything went wrong, this would be it. My name is Makina Kuroki, and this is the story of how I lost something.

Miko "Jeez, At times like this, the guy is supposed to say 'I wasn't waiting long at all' even if it's a lie."

I have two medical conditions.

Kuroki "Miko, you are exactly one hour late. If I said that, I would be confessing to being late as well."

The first, and least serious of the two is Heterochromia of the eye. I was born with a dark brown right eye and a sky blue left eye. This condition is, apparently, genetic. My great grandmother had it. It's never affected my health. It's only ever had an effect on my social life.

Miko "Are you wearing that eyepatch again today, Senpai?"

Kuroki "Well, yeah. We're going to be in public today."

The second, and more serious of the two is Narcolepsy. It's a condition that causes chronic fatigue and headaches. In other words, I'll get a headache and pass out. This condition proved deadly once when I passed out during a bath. What terrifies me most is that it can hit at any time.

Miko "Senpai, you shouldn't cover it up. I think it's beautiful."

Kuroki "I know that. That's why you're the only one outside of my family that I've shown it to."

I'm a currently a second year high school student, soon to be a third year. I met Miko one day when I passed out on the school roof during lunch. Once she learned about my condition, she would not leave me be. I eventually fell in love with Miko, and we have been dating for two years now. Little did I know I would lose her today.

Miko "C'mon, Senpai, Would you take it off, just for today?"

Kuroki "Fine. There, it's off, let's go."

Miko "Ahh! Senpai! Wait for me!" She says, hooking her arm around mine.

This is par for the course. We had our fair share of fights, but we always patched things up in the end.

* * *

We were about halfway across the street, when I was hit by a sudden headache.

Kuroki "Iteh!"

Miko "Senpai? Are you alright? Are you about to pass out again?"

Using what strength I had, I nodded.

She leaned me on her shoulder. And started helping me across the street while the walking light was still green.

That's when-

"Look out!" An unfamiliar voice screamed.

A car had run the red light and was speeding far faster than was legal.

I barely felt the collision.

The snow slowly turning red, the streetlights above, the screaming.

All of them fade to black.

That day, I learned what it was to lose something.


	2. Act 0, Part II

Act 0, Part II, Prologue: "Standing Up Again"

* * *

It's been a year since the accident.

I'm so weak that I can barely stand.

After the accident, I went into a vegetative state for nearly nine months. The doctors said that I only had a fractured left leg.

After I regained consciousness, the fracture had mostly healed, so I could immediately start rehab. After being basically dead for almost a year, It was necessary to start recovering the muscle I lost.

The day after I woke up, when I could speak again, I asked about Miko. The doctor just went silent. That tells me all I need to know. I was told later by my nurse that Miko took most of the blow for me, and passed away after being comatose for two months.

I can remember one time when I woke in the middle of the night, needing to go to the bathroom. While I was washing up, I saw my face in the mirror. It was surreal when I noticed that my eyes were two different colors. The accident, and losing Miko had nearly made me forget that I had these eyes. No wonder I attracted the attention of everyone in the hospital library.

The time that wasn't spent in rehab was spent reading. Anything I could get my hands on, books, manga, even (much to my doctor's disapproval) porn mags. With reading, I could escape to a world that I never knew. I could put myself in the protagonist's shoes, and walk in his or her world.

Of course this escape would only last as long as the book. Before long the story would end, and I would be dragged back into reality. My nineteenth birthday passed while in the last few days of rehab, my mom came to visit. My rehab doctor must have told her about my acquired bookworm, because she brought a huge stack of books.

It was then that she dropped the news on me.

Riku "Kucchan, your father and I are getting divorced."

She went on to tell me what I missed out on. Apparently dad started drinking heavily after the accident. He was fired from his workplace, and was currently in prison for attempted murder.

"Oh." was all I could say. It never surprised me, dad had always been a drinker, and they were already getting ready for divorce before the accident.

Our family lawyer, Satou Akira, sat down on the foot of my bed, and spoke to me.

Akira "Under the circumstances, your mother will be given jurisdiction over Ichigo. The doctor said it would also be best if you attended a different school."

Kuroki "What?"

I can't go back to my school?

Riku "Hear her out Kucchan, It might not be as bad as you think."

I know exactly what she's going to say, and I don't want to hear it.

Akira "I'll listen to what you have to say, Kurocchi, but your education is important to your mother, and I don't think she has the ability to homeschool you."

As much as I hate to admit it, she's right, given my condition , attending my current school is hazardous, and I risk a repeat of what happened a year ago.

Kuroki "Where is my new school?"

Akira "It's in a small hill town called Yamaku. The school specializes in taking care of, and educating the disabled."

Disabled. Is that what I am now? I must have been showing my thoughts on my face, because my mother pipes in.

Riku "Sweetie, it's your choice."

Akira "The school doesn't have prevent healthy students from attending, Ichigo has stubbornly stated that she wants to transfer wherever you do."

Well, this offer is getting harder to resist. If transfer to this school, I can be with Ichigo at the same time.

Kuroki "If Ichigo really wants to transfer with me, I'll go."

They seem surprised about how easy it was to convince me. Well, I get to go to school again, even if it's not the same one.

Akira "Attaboy, Kurocchi. By the way, my sister is attending Yamaku as well, you guys are in the same year."

Kuroki "Am I still a second year?"

Riku "No, you already passed all of your exams, you just missed the graduation ceremoney."

Kuroki "What about Ichigo?"

Akira "She's in the same year as you now, after the accident, she poured herself into studying, and got some very nice results. Speaking of which, she's late."

Kuroki "Huh?"

Riku "Ishi has your cake, Kucchan."

Oh, right, it's my birthday. For the first time since waking up, I laugh.

She'll be here and hour late if she hasn't changed, but I'm fine with that. I've almost recovered enough to walk on my own, having Ichigo around will reassuring.

This is how I will move forward.


	3. Act I, Part I

Act I: "Chained Down" Part I

* * *

Saturday, 08:15

I stand in front of the school gate, at a loss for what to do.

I think under normal circumstances, I would walk right in without a second thought. The problem is the gate.

A black ornate metal gate, faded, worn red bricks, and a metal plaque that reads "Yamaku Academy". I've changed schools more times than I care to count, this gate is easily the most intimidating.

I begin to have second thoughts about coming here. I have no clue why I'm... uncomfortable just from looking at the gate.

Ichigo "Aniki."

Kuroki "Go on ahead, I'll be with you in a moment."

I'm wearing a pair of dark gray cargo pants, a white dress shirt with tie, and a black sweatervest. On top of it all, I'm wearing a white eyepatch over my left eye. I stick out like a penguin in a desert.

The wind blows my shoulder length brown hair into my eyes. I'll have to visit a barbor later today.

As the wind dies down, I take a deep breath, strengthen my resolve, and step through the gate.

As soon as I walk through the gate, It dawns on me why the gate made me so nervous, It's probably because walking through the gate meant accepting that I am "Disabled".

Ichigo "Aniki, Hurry up!"

Kuroki "I'm coming."

* * *

08:20

Me and Ichigo walk along the concrete path that cuts through the well tended grass. I notice that me and my sister are the only two out here, which makes me feel uneasy. It's almost as if I stepped into a different world.

Next to the door to the school building stands a tall, middle-aged man with a small amount of stubble on his chin.

Noticing us, he straightens up, smiles, and walks towards us."

Middle Aged Man "You two must be the Makina siblings, correct?"

Kuroki "Yes, that's us."

The man exchanges handshakes with both of us.

Mutou "My name is Mutou, I will be your homeroom teacher from now on, Kuroki-kun."

Kuroki "Nice to meet you, I hope we get along."

Mutou "Kuroki-kun will have to visit the nurse first. I'll lead the way."

Mutou "As for you, Ichigo-san, your homeroom teacher is running late. The staff room is straight down the hall to the right, you can't miss it."

Ichigo "Thank you, Mutou-sensei. I'm off, Aniki. Seeya after school."

Kuroki "Take care of yourself, Ishi."

Once Ichigo had split off from us, Mutou led me to another building.

It surpised me, this place has an entire building devoted to medical staff, an entire building for something other than education. Well, given the wide range of disablities that the staff have to attend to, I suppose it's hardly strange.

It hardly takes any time at all to find the head nurse's office. Mutou gestures for me to knock.

Cheerful Voice "Come on in, door's unlocked!"

Mutou "I'll wait here"

Without further ado, I open the door. A young man with a wide grin sits in an office chair, looking up from his paperwork. He raises his hand in a greeting.

Cheerful Dude "Yo. Are you the new student?"

Kuroki "Yes. My name is Makina Kuroki."

The man stands up, puts his paperwork on a desk covered with coffee rings, and shakes my hand.

Cheerful Dude "I'm the head nurse, you can call me by name, or just "The Nurse", like everybody else does."

Kuroki "Nice to meet you."

Nurse "Likewise."

He picks up a different file from his desk and opens it.

Nurse "Let's see here... You are suffering from Narcolepsy, Correct?"

Kuroki "Yes, That's correct."

Nurse "It also says here you have genetically inherited Heterochromia, mind if I take a look?"

I reach behind my ear and unhook the eyepatch, exposing my left eye. He grabs a flashlight, and shines it in my eyes.

Nurse "Interesting. Any trouble with eyesight?"

Kuroki "None. It only freaked out a few people at school, so I started wearing an eyepatch to hide it."

Nurse "Well, the people here won't really give you any trouble with that, but it's your choice if you want to keep wearing it."

Wordlessly, I hook the white eyepatch back around my ear.

Nurse "Well, that's about it! Oh, one more thing."

He scribble something on a piece of paper and folds it up.

Nurse "Make sure to give this to your homeroom teacher. It'll keep you safe, should you pass out during class."

Kuroki "Thank you."

Nurse "However. Do not think it will give you an excuse to sleep during class."

Damn, He saw right through me.

Kuroki "Understood."

Nurse "Oh yeah, aren't you supposed to have company?"

Kuroki "My sister went to the staff room. She's perfectly healthy, so there's no reason for her to come here."

Nurse "She transferred here to keep an eye on you?"

Kuroki "Basically."

My sister was next to me when I woke up in the hospital. She was borderline hysterical when I tried moving my hand, which she just so happened to be holding at the time.

It was damn funny, to be honest. But at the time, I was so weak I could barely even speak, much less laugh. Remembering it now brings a smirk to my face.

Nurse "Well then, class is starting soon if I'm not mistaken."

As if on queue, the bell rings.

Kuroki "Well, I'm off. Take care, _Sakuya-kun_."

The nurse raises an eyebrow, and meets eyes with me.

Sakuya "You're an interesting person, Kuroki."

Kuroki "Please, I'm as boring as they come."

I leave with that parting line, and shut the door behind me.

Mutou stands up, trying not to look like he was leaning on the wall. I hand him the note the nurse gave me. After reading it, he nods, refolds it, and puts it in his pocket.

Mutou "I see. Come with me, I'll show you to your new classroom."

* * *

08:35

A few flights of stairs later, He stops outside of a classroom. The sign above the door reads "3-3".

Mutou "This is your classroom. Would you like to do an introduction?"

Well...

**[ Infiltrate the classroom with stealth ]**  
**[Introduce yourself like a normal person]**

* * *

PM me to find out what choice our bland protagonist will make.


	4. Act I, Part II

Act I: Part II

* * *

Kuroki "I will infiltrate the classroom from behind."

Mutou "I'll take that as a no, then. Your seat is in the back row, you get a window seat."

He sighs, and enters the classroom from the front. I hear him start the lesson.

That's the signal.

I take out my cardboard box, cover myself with it, and silently move to the classroom's back door.

On the way, I meet another curious box, It reads "THE ORANGE" in capital letters. Wait, this is japan, why is there english on that box?

I ignore it, and continue towards the back door.

I reach the door, and remove my cover.

I grab the handle. Slowly, and silently, I slide the door open until there's just enough room for me to fit through. I slip inside the classroom, undetected.

As expected, Mutou uses his boring lesson to put most of the class to sleep. I close the door as quietly as I opened it, and make my way to my seat next to the window.

I manage to sit down without the person next to me noticing.

**MISSION ACCOMPLISHED**

* * *

10:00

I made it through the first morning class without being noticed, but it was short lived.

The student next to me noticed me after class. She fell out of her chair when she noticed me, which managed to attract the attention of the whole class.

This was the first time I saw the faces of all my classmates. The most notable ones were a pink haired girl, who had her hair done up in what looked like drills (I think?), A dark skinned girl wearing a men's dress shirt and tie, and last but not least, A girl with long, dark hair that covered half of her face.

The pink haired drills girl skips over to me, wearing a stupid grin and looking like she had just won the lottery.

_She's skipping? Oh god, help me._

Drills Girl "You appeared out of nowhere, you look kinda like a male version of that girl from the anime with the cursed classroom!"

I resist the urge to slam my face into my desk.

Kuroki "Are you seriously comparing me to an anime character? And while I'm at it, You're comparing me to _that_ character?"

Drills Girl "Yeah! I mean, You did appear without anybody noticing, and you have the eyepatch, too! WAHAHAHA!"

Once again, I resist the urge to facedesk, and treat her to a cold stare.

Drills Girl "What's your name, _Nazonoko_?" ("Nazo no ko" literally translates to "The mystery of the child". In this case is means "mystery child".)

Kuroki "My name is Makina Kuroki, and there's nothing mysterious about me."

Drills Girl "No way! You are totally mysterious, Kucchan!"

_Geh! "Kucchan"? That's what my mother calls me!_

Kuroki "While on the subject of nicknames, let me give you one."

Drills Girl "Eh?"

The smile vanishes from her face, replaced by a look of confusion.

Kuroki "I have a name perfect for you."

I angle my head at windows just right, so that a shadow crosses one side my face. I give her a cold smile and say in a low voice:

Kuroki "From now on, I will call you "Dirirunoko". ("Diriru no ko" translates to "Child of drills", I think you can see where I'm going with this.)

The girl gasps, nearly falls over, and points at me.

Dirirunoko "That's the worst nickname I've ever heard! I can't believe you would create such an awful nickname for me!"

Kuroki "Really? Just call me by my name from now on, and I'll call you..."

Misha "Mikado Shiina, You can just call me Misha if you want, I guess..."

She finishes the sentence with a sigh, looking incredible drained. She slumps over my desk with the noise of a dying cow.

Kuroki "Okay, Nice to meet you, Shiina."

I say it in a cheerful voice, which earns me a death glare.

Another girl walks over and taps Misha on her shoulder.

The new visitor has questionable dark blue hair and a pair of oval shaped eyeglasses propped upon a dainty nose.

Once the glasses girl gets Misha's attention, she makes a few gestures with her hands.

_Sign language._

Glasses Girl [_What's wrong, Misha?_]

Misha [_Shicchan! This person is not cut out for Student Council! He's really mean, and he gave me a terrible nickname!_]

I sigh. I can understand them perfectly, but I'll wait until she says something really awful about me to let them know.

Glasses Girl [_How terrible?_]

Misha [_The Nazonoko called me... He called me... Let me write it down!_]

Kuroki [_The Nazonoko called her "Child of Drills", as payback for being called "Nazonoko"._]

Misha stares at me with a dumbfounded look on her face, While "Shicchan" tilts her head, and signs something to me.

Glasses Girl [_You can understand sign?_]

I nod. This brings a grin to her face.

Shizune [_I'm the class rep, Hakamichi Shizune. Are you the new transfer student?_]

Kuroki [Yes. I'm Makina Kuroki. _It seems like I broke Misha. I apologize, she kind of annoyed me by calling me a mysterious child behind my back._]

I look at the clock.

Kuroki [_The break's about to end. Do you think you could show me where the cafeteria is after class? Tell Misha that I'll treat her as an apology._]

Shizune nods, then pulls Misha back to her seat.

I then remember a part of the conversation Misha had with Shizune.

_Student Council._

Did they want to recruit me?

I begin to think that maybe it wasn't such a good idea asking Shizune and Misha to lunch.

Well, I guess it's too late to think about that now.

The bell rings, everybody sits down, and I prepare for another boring lesson.


	5. Act I, Part III

Act I, Part III

I wake with a start.

My first reaction is confusion. I lift my head off my desk and look around the room. I have a small headache, I must have passed out during class and hit my head on the desk. The first thing I notice is that there is a piece of paper tucked under the string in my eyepatch. The second thing I notice is that I'm almost alone in the classroom. I pull the piece of paper out of my eyepatch string, unfold it, and read.

_"Kucchan, You passed out halfway through class. Did you stay up playing datesims or something?"_

No, Misha. I'm pale and frail looking because I stayed up all night dreading that I would meet someone like you.

"_Once class was over, Shicchan tried to wake you, but you wouldn't even stir!_

_We asked Mutou to wake you, but he said to just leave you be._

_So much for treating me to lunch!"_

The clock says it's fifteen past one. I passed out for nearly four hours?

I sign audibly, pull my schoolbag out of my desk, and pull out the emergency porridge I packed this morning. I didn't eat breakfast this morning either, so I'm as starved as a penguin in a-

_Splat._

Kuroki "Ah..."

My hand slipped, the tupperware container holding my emergency ration has fallen to the floor. Face. Down.

Kuroki "..."

For the third time today, I resist the tempting urge to slam my face upon my desk.

I had better be careful, I won't be able to resist a fourth time.

I sigh again, kneeling down to the floor to lay the remains of my fallen comrade to rest. While cleaning, I get the feeling someone is watching me. I raise my head and look around, but the only other people here are a girl sleeping at her desk, and the long dark haired girl, who is reading a book. At least, she's trying to look like she's reading a book, but she hasn't turned a page since I woke up.

I finish cleaning my mess, sit back down, and remove a different object from my schoolbag.

A notebook.

I also pull a mechanical pencil from my schoolbag.

I ensure the pencil has lead, and I push the pencil against the paper.

I begin the write.

* * *

Two years before my accident, I wrote an internet novel that earned me a nice amount of money, and a huge amount of popularity. For this I used a seperate email, phone number, name, address, and even a separate computer. Kotomi Kurotori was the name I used.

Looking back on it, that was probably for the best. If my parents had found out that Kotomi Kurotori was actually Makina Kuroki, I would have instantly been pulled from high school. My father would have forced me to go to a writer's school. If that had happened, I never would have met Miko.

I can remember the hype it caused at my last school after I released it.

Several friends told me about it.

Kuroki "Black Key's author's name is fake?"

Akito "Yeah, he left a note on the last page saying that 'Kotomi Kurotori' is just an alias."

Miko "I don't blame him, talent like that usually earns more envy than admiration."

Kuroki "Yeah, remember the author of "Ten Towers"? Several people claimed he had stolen the manuscript from the real author."

Yume "There was never any proof he did."

I can also remember the question Miko asked me.

Miko "Senpai, What do you think Kurotori would be like if you met them?"

Kuroki "Well, they might be a student, like you or me.

Miko "What makes you say that?"

Kuroki "Just a feeling. If they hid their true identity, they aren't ready to be that popular, or they don't want to be."

Miko "So they won't recieve any gratitude for their work?"

Kuroki "If I were Kurotori, I would be thrilled to know that I've brought some happiness to this otherwise boring everday life."

Miko "You and Kurotori have something in common."

Kuroki "Yeah, our first names start with 'Kuro'."

_Whack!_

Miko "That's not what I meant!"

I never told Miko about it, either. It's a secret I want to take to the grave.

* * *

I'm brought back to reality by a voice calling out from the hallway.

I look over to the door. The owner of the well mannered speech seems to be the tall blonde haired girl standing by the classrom door.

She looks... Vaguely familiar.

Blonde Girl "Excuse me, is Ikezawa Hanako here?"

Ikezawa? Isn't that the long dark haired girl who left midclass?

As I'm about to awnser her, I notice a lock of hair hanging over my shoulder.

I believe that I've got brown hair, not black.

As I turn around, my eyepatch gets caught on something and is pulled off.

I end up face to face with the dark haired girl who cut class.

Was she behind me this whole time? Why?

Actually, forget that, she's seriously only a couple of centimeters from my face.

I freeze. So does she.

Her eyes are a beautiful purple color, and there's a pink tinge across her cheek.

I can't see the right side of her face because my left eye hasn't adjusted to the light yet.

We're making direct eye contact from a mere few centimeters.

Five. Ten. Fifteen.

Twenty seconds pass.

Slowly my eye adjusts to the light of the room.

And I see it.

_Scars._

The right side of her face is badly scarred, they look like burn scars. It's shocking. Not the burns. What's shocking is that even with those burns, she's still very pretty.

After thirty seconds, her cheeks turn a deep red, and she jumps backwards to escape from me. She tried to anyway. She hits a desk and falls over. I lose my balance from being startled and fall off my chair.

I close my left eye before anyone can see it. A few of the other remaining student are looking at us, wondering what happened.

Shy Girl "Oww..."

Kuroki "Are you... Alright? Ow."

Shy Girl "I-I'm fine"

Kuroki "That was a surprise."

I notice that my eyepatch is caught on her hair. It's not exactly fashionable.

Kuroki "Could I have my eyepatch back, please?"

Shy Girl "Oh! I'm S-sorry"

Kuroki "It's alright."

Blonde Girl "Hanako? Is that you? Are you alright?"

Hanako "Y-yes, Lilly."

She timidly hands me my eyepatch and hurries over to the blonde girl in the doorway.

Hanako "I'm here, Lilly."

The blonde girl named Lilly tilts her head slightly.

Lilly "I heard another voice in here, were you by chance... talking to a friend?"

Hanako "W-well..."

She's still blushing from the encounter just a few seconds ago. It's partially my fault too, so I feel obligated to help her out.

_Alright..._

**MISSION START**

Kuroki "I apologize, my name is Kuroki. We're just trading opinions on 'Black Key'. Since we're both reading it."

Lilly "Hmm? You wouldn't happen to be Makina Kuroki, would you?"

Kuroki "Yes. That's me."

Lilly "I see. You have quite a few rumors going around, you know."

Kuroki "Really? Wait, let me guess. One of them is 'the Nazonoko of class 3-3', correct?"

Lilly giggles.

_Mikado Shiina, my anger cannot be appeased by your death. Prepare for life-altering consequences._

Lilly "How could you tell?"

Kuroki "I think Shiina-kun is responsible for that rumor. She's the first person in this school to call me that."

Lilly "This school?"

Kuroki "It's happened at other schools, It's annoying, but I'm used to it."

Lilly "Oh, forgive me for the late introduction. My name is Satou Lilly."

Satou?

Kuroki "Would you be familiar with a 'Satou Akira', by chance?"

Lilly "She's my big sister. You know her?"

So this is Akira's sister. That would explain the resemblance.

Kuroki "Akira is our family friend and lawyer. She told me she had a sister attending here."

_Success! I have successfully shifted the topic from Hanako!_

**MISSION ACCOMPLISHED**

Lilly "What happy coincidence. Would you like to join us for afternoon tea?"

Hanako visibly stiffens, which makes me think twice about accepting the offer.

**What should I do?**

**[Kindly accept]**  
**[Kindly decline]**

* * *

Kuroki, Our (self proclaimed) non-mysterious protagonist, has come to a choice.

Go to my profile page to vote for the choice you think he should make.

The poll will close on May 5th at 12:00 PM (Pacific Time)


	6. Act I, Part IV

Act I, Part IV

* * *

13:35

After giving the offer some thought, I decide to accept her invitation.

Kuroki "If I'm not a bother, Yeah, I'll tag along."

Lilly "Very well then, If you'll follow me, I'll lead you to our tearoom."

Lilly turns around and starts walking down the hallway. Hanako walks beside her. I notice that Lilly is holding a long thin cane, presumably for navigation, which taps against the wall every now and then. She must be at least partially blind if she needs that cane.

Suddenly, my sixth sense goes crazy.

The only time it does that is when I'm about to go to pass out, or when people at my old school were up to no good...

I'm not getting a headache, I'm not feeling drowsy, so what's triggering it?

Then I hear it.

It's a clicking noise, it's coming from pretty far away, but it's closing in. I begin to question what the noise is, because it's different from Lilly's cane tapping, it has a more... mechanical feel to it.

The mysterious clicking keeps getting louder.

Kuroki "Lilly, do you hear that?"

Lilly "Hear what?"

Kuroki "That clicking noise."

Lilly "Well, it would be a problem for my navigation if I couldn't."

Kuroki "Not your cane. Listen carefully."

She does so. Her brow instantly furrows.

Lilly "I recognize that sound from somewhere. Where was it again?"

The clicking gets louder, now Hanako notices it and starts clinging to Lilly. The cause of the rhythmic clicking noise rounds a corner that's only a few feet ahead.

Voice "Look out!"

It's as if everything happens in slow motion. My body moves without thinking. I move over to my left and hold my right arm straight out.

_WHAM!_

Clotheslined. I then realize what I just did. Damn, muscle memory can be a truly frightening thing. I lower my arm and look down at my unintentional victim. I think I might have overdone it. Judging by the impact I felt, I would have been sent flying if I was in the way.

My victim has shoulder length ginger hair, done up in twin tails. She is wearing a P.E. uniform, and a pair of prosthetic legs designed for running. The latter would explain the clicking noise. She sit up and moans, holding her forehead gingerly.

Kuroki "Are you alright? I didn't mean to deck you like that, it's muscle memory from my last school."

She looks up at me with a puppy face, green eyes wide and filled with tears, she pouts at me.

Twintails "Why would you do that? That hurt a lot, I could get a concussion."

Kuroki "Only because of how fast you were running in the hallways. If you were running outside instead, I'm sure that you would not end up hitting anyone."

My last school had a strict policy for running in hallways. Of course, this rarely stopped anyone, including my sister. My solution was to just hold an arm out and clothesline them. I had to use this maneuver on my first day, meaning I'll probably have to use it again. I thought that a school for the disabled, of all schools, would have a couple more reasons to keep students from running inside the school building.

Lilly "Hanako, what happened?"

For obvious reasons, Lilly has a large question mark above her head.

Kuroki "I have unintentionally clotheslined an unknown female student wearing a P.E. uniform."

This brings a bemused grin to Lilly's face.

Lilly "Would that unknown female happen to be Emi, by chance?"

The twintails girl stands up, groaning again.

Emi "Oh. Heya Lilly, Hanako."

Lilly "I trust this little incident will make you endeavor to avoid running inside the building from now on?"

The girl named Emi starts figeting, like a toddler being scolded for doing something naughty.

Emi "Yeah, I don't want to get a concussion or anything like that."

Kuroki "That's totally self centered."

This earns me the second death glare I've seen today. Charming.

Emi "Oh, snap, I gotta run-

Kuroki "Walk."

Emi "Speedwalk to one of the teachers, I promised to help out with printouts, but went running instead. Seeya later!"

With that, the running girl, without learning, bolted down the hallway with the speed of a panther.

Kuroki "Next time I hit her, It'll be intentional. Did she even listen to me?"

Lilly "Yamaku has student who aren't able to take collisions like that unscathed, so there are more rules for running in this school than there are in others."

Kuroki "Hardly stopped her, it seems."

Lilly grimaces, and begins walking again. Hanako clings to her like a child would a teddy bear. Even though it looks difficult to walk like that, Lilly doesn't seem to mind at all. I follow from a distance, so as not to bother Hanako.

13:40

After a few minutes of walking, Lilly comes to a halt in front of a door to an unused clubroom and opens it.

Lilly "After you."

I give her a 'thank you', and enter. The room is mostly empty, save for a few cabinets, chairs, and a table. The faint smell of vanilla makes the room feel calm, and comforting. The windows look out to the school track, where a few students can be seen running. Lilly moves to the cabinets, fetching a kettle and some tea.

Lilly "Tea?"

Kuroki "Yes please."

Lilly prepares the tea with expert precision. Seeing the variety of disabilities this school had made me depressed, I assumed that most people were just sent here to get them out of the way. I force the dark thoughts out of my mind. It's still impressive seeing people like Lilly adapt to their disabilities. I guess mankind isn't called the most adaptive race for nothing.

Lilly "This was your first day, was it? How's everything going so far?"

Kuroki "Aside from annoying rumors, and having to clothesline someone outside of my classroom, everything is just sunny."

Lilly giggles at this. Hanako also cracks a small amused smile.

I sit in the chair closest to the window. I notice a basket under the table, containing number of light novels, manga, books and surprisingly, a chess set.

Kuroki "You two play chess?"

Lilly "Occasionally. Most of the time, she's the victor, though."

Kuroki "I'll have to challenge you sometime, Hanako."

Hanako "O-okay"

Lilly sets down three cups on the table, and fills them with tea.

Kuroki "Thank you, Lilly."

She sits in the chair opposite me and Hanako.

Lilly "In the classroom, you mentioned an eyepatch. Would that be the reason you transferred?"

I unhook my eyepatch and set it down on the table.

Kuroki "The eyepatch is to cover up my heterochromia, since some people are put off by it. Since Hanako already saw it, I guess it's alright to take it off here. I'm actually suffering from narcolepsy. I've had it for a while, but I only transferred here after my accident."

Lilly "I see."

She doesn't press me for further details. I sip my tea. Trying to change the subject.

Kuroki "Black Vanilla?"

Lilly "Yes, I have my tea stored in this room, there's a variety of tea to choose from, if you would like."

Kuroki "I'll take you up on that offer someday."

I reach into my schoolbag and pull out a first edition copy of Black Key. I remove my bookmark and continue where I left off. I haven't read it since I published it, so I thought it would be nice to read it through again.

Hanako peeks into the book over my shoulder, and her eyes widen.

Hanako "Your copy of Black Key is signed?"

Kuroki "Yeah, I never saw Kurotori's face during the signing, I don't think anyone else did, either. This book I'm holding is probably worth 750,000 Yen." ($6250 USD.)

Hanako "What does it say?"

I show her the signature.

Hanako "_Kuroki, We've been through quite a bit, You and I. I just don't know why we have. -Kurotori_"

Hanako and Lilly are both visibly puzzled by the signature. For an obvious reason, only my mother, sister, Akira and Miko understood what the signature meant.

I continue to read my book, pushing the unpleasant memories out of my mind.

Hanako "You're n-not going to continue w-writing?"

Kuroki "I will, later."

Lilly "Are you an aspiring author?"

Kuroki "Yes, actually. I've been practicing for four years, since the age of fifteen."

The topic changed several times, from Hanako's tastes in literature, to Lilly's favorite color, which was white. Before long, my stomach makes a small gurgling noise. Hanako's eyes widen, and Lilly giggles.

Lilly "I wonder, did that cute little rumble come from Hanako?"

Hanako "N-no! I-it wasn't me!"

Kuroki "That would be me. I haven't eaten anything all day because I lost my lunch to the floor this morning."

Lilly goes into a giggling fit, presumably from the noise my stomach made.

Kuroki "That was the best conversation I've had for almost a year. Would you two mind if I came here for lunch?"

Hanako goes silent. Lilly tilts her head and thinks.

Lilly "I don't see why not. Hanako?"

Hanako "I-if you're fine with it, Lilly, t-then I am too."

Lilly "There you are, you are welcome to keep us company here at any time."

Kuroki "Thank you, I enjoyed the company, and the tea too."

I wave goodbye as I walk out the door. I descend the stairs until I'm on the first floor and make my way to the school gates.


	7. Act I, Part V

Act I, Part V

* * *

Sunday, 00:20

I wake with a start, nearly jumping out of the bed, coated in cold sweat.

Kuroki "Another nightmare. Fuck my life."

It almost felt real.

_The smell of gasoline..._

**Narcolepsy**. A disorder that causes drowsiness, insomnia, and very disturbing nightmares. Narcolepsy can also cause hallucinations, muscle paralysis, and even depression.

_A child crying for her brother..._

The cause of narcolepsy is largely unknown. Most cases are genetically inherited. I've heard of a few cases caused by head trauma, or even mental scarring.

_The sound of sirens in the distance..._

There's treatment, of course, but no cure.

I strip my sweaty pajamas and head for the showers.

While warm water runs over my body, I recall the nightmare that was one of my memories.

* * *

At the age of fourteen years, Me and my twin cousins, Kotarou and Kotori, were involved in a car accident. Kotori had suffered severe spine damage in the accident, leaving her legs paralyzed for the rest of her life. I, on the other hand, had hit my head, and sustained minor brain damage. Kotarou was flung out of the vehicle through the windshield when his seat belt failed. He would have gotten off with lacerations and maybe a few fractures if he hadn't been thrown into oncoming traffic. His skull was crushed instantly. My aunt, who was later discovered to be driving under influence, only got a few lacerations.

Even though my memories of the accident nearly five years ago are hazy, I can clearly recall what happened before and after the accident.

Afterwards, my father, not wanting to lose the family heir to "some little accident" had hired a professional child psychologist, who's job was to "make me better". Because of the extent of mental scarring I had suffered, they had little choice other than to teach me to repress my memories. I was fine for a year, until, one day at school, I simply collapsed without warning. I was diagnosed with narcolepsy caused by head trauma, and was officially considered unfit for the position of family heir, forcing Ichigo to take my place.

My father was always abusive, giving out punishment for the slightest error in any subject. It was either straight A's, or I would be subject to a beating. At the time, my sister supported me. Whenever I had a cut or bruise cause by my father's cruelty, she would tend to it without even a complaint.

One day, as she was bandaging a deep cut on my shoulder, I asked her.

Kuroki "Don't you get tired of doing this?"

Ichigo "No."

Kuroki "You aren't afraid of being punished for treating me?"

Ichigo sighs and says something that, to this day, warms my heart.

Ichigo "You are the only person I consider family, Aniki. You are to only person that makes this house a home to me. It goes without saying that I do not want to see family hurt, upset, or suffering."

Ichigo "Even though I'm not related to you by blood, you are the only brother I have, and you are precious to me."

That was the first time I had cried in a while. Ichigo continued to treat my wound as I silently wept. After she had finished, I put on a new shirt, and embraced her tightly.

Kuroki "Ishi, no matter what happens, I won't let him hurt you. I promise."

After Ichigo took position as family heir, father was ready to begin training the next heir. I told him that I would take the punishment in her stead. Once my mother learned what was going on, she prepared to divorce him. She was also gathering evidence that would let her take custody over Ichigo and I once she divorced him.

* * *

Finished with my shower, I lay on my bed and stare at the ceiling of my room, wide awake.

Kuroki "Now that I think about it, the plan worked out nicely in the long run. I owe you big time, Mom."

Unable to sleep, I rise from my bed.

I open my door. The number '118' is engraved in black on the door, while the nameplate is blank.

Light peeks out from under the door of room 117. I ignore it. Meeting that guy was enough to kill any hope that I would meet a normal person in this hall. As I close my room behind me, I notice that room 119 also has a name on the door.

_Nakai Hisao_

As I head to the common room, my thoughts drift back to room 119.

_Nakai Hisao, huh? I hope he isn't as weird as Kenji, or I swear to god I will-_

This thought is interrupted by a loud clunking noise, presumably from the common room vending machine.

A boy who looks around the same age as me is removing a can of juice from the vending machine. He has messy brown hair, brown eyes, and is wearing sweatpants with a loose white t-shirt. I can see a scar on his chest, just barely visible from the neck of his shirt.

I raise a hand in greeting.

Kuroki "Hey."

Messy Haired Student "Can't sleep either?"

Kuroki "Narcolepsy tends to do that, though my insomnia is very mild, at best."

Messy Haired Student "Sounds tough. With all the meds they have me on, I'm surprised I haven't died from combined side effects."

Kuroki "Insomnia is better than hallucinations. Trust me, I know."

Hisao "My name is Nakai Hisao. You can just call me Hisao. I live in room 119."

I take his extended hand and exchange a handshake that isn't firm, or sloppy.

Kuroki "Makina Kuroki. Just call me Kuroki. I'm in 118, I saw your name plate on my way down. Glad it didn't turn out to be another Anti-feminist nutjob."

Hisao laughs at this.

Hisao "Don't worry about him. Once you get to know him, he's actually a pretty nice guy."

Kuroki "I hope so. Believe it or not, the first name that came to mind when I saw him was 'Harry Potter'."

We both laugh this time.

Hisao "Once I finish my drink, want to go around town? I'm not exactly familiar with it."

Kuroki "I'm game. I actually did rehab this town, I know the area pretty well."

He raises his eyebrow at my mention of rehab, though he doesn't say anything.

I grab a tea from the vending machine.

Kuroki "I'll drink mine on the way, let's go."

With that, me and Hisao walk out of the dorms and head for the town.


	8. Act I, Part VI

Act 1, Part VI

Sunday, 05:30

I sit at my desk in classroom 3-3, indulging myself in a cup of ramen. My new found friend Hisao sleeps at his desk in front of me. Come to think of it, I did see him in class yesterday. He only stuck out because Mutou called him out during class for a difficult problem. Hisao seems to have an affinity for science better than my own, although he told me that his english and history weren't the best.

As for me, I am currently suffering from writer's block. I stare at the half filled page, trying to think of the next action my protagonist makes. I put my pencil to the paper and visualize the scenario.

* * *

_Inori runs throught the old, seemingly endless complex,_

_with her heart in her mouth, and flashlight pointed ahead,_

_the only thing she can think about is escaping._

_This only serves to amuse her enemy, as the vaguely human-_

_shaped shadow slowly, but surely gains on her._

_Just as Inori had almost given up hope of survival, she_

_sees the end of the hallway, a single window lets a small_

_amount of moonlight into the hall._

_Drawing her .357 magnum, Inori aims and fires twice,_

_blowing two fist sized holes in the window. She pulls her_

_hood over her head, and dives out through the window,_

_landing in the dumpster below._

_As she stands up, her pursuer dives out the window as well._

_"Big mistake." Inori grins. The moonlight dissolves the_

_shadow-like aura protecting the Soul Thief._

_Four gunshots ring out, two hit the torso, one hits an arm._

_The fourth shot travels straight through the Soul Thief's_

_head, ending it's existence._

_"What a damn waste, silver bullets ain't cheap ya' know."_

_She says to the dissolving pile of black sludge, as she removes_

_the spent shells from her revolver._

* * *

06:00

Hisao "...in your free time?"

I break out of my delusion.

Kuroki "Huh?"

Hisao "Is that what you do in your free time?"

Kuroki "Oh, this? It's just practice, I'm an aspiring author."

Hisao "I think the book club would like to hear that one, don't you think?"

Kuroki "You think so? I've written other stuff, too. This is far from the best I've written."

Hisao "You have a talent for writing. That much is obvious. I'm pretty sure this school has a Writing Club, why not join?"

I mull the idea over. I've always been in the go-home club, even managing to avoid joining any clubs in my last school, where joining a club is compulsory. I don't have anything to pour myself into. Maybe joining a club will fix that.

Kuroki "You... might actually be right. The last time I tried hard to make something big, It worked out great. But I haven't tried since my accident."

Hisao "Well, if you need someone to lend a hand or an ear, I'll be there."

Kuroki "Thanks. I might take you up on that offer someday."

I notice Lilly standing by the classroom door, looking like a child at the lost and found section in a mall.

Hisao "Good morning, Lilly."

Kuroki "Good morning, Lilly. What brings you here?"

Lilly "Good morning, Kuroki, Hisao. Have you seen Hanako by chance?"

Kuroki "Isn't it a bit early? Is Hanako even awake?"

Lilly "I suppose not. I knocked on her door this morning, but I didn't get a response."

Kuroki "Well, it is six in the morning on a sunday. Most people are still in bed at this time."

Just as the words leave my mouth, the classroom door, once halfway closed, slams open with the force of a gorilla, making Lilly jump. A girl with pink hair done up in drills skips through the door.

_Oh god no._

Misha "Good morning!"

Shizune walks in behind Misha and freezes after she notices Lilly.

Shizune "Look, it's the class rep. Hello."

Misha "Look, It's the class rep! Heya!"

The word 'Look' sparks an amused grin from Lilly.

Lilly "Good morning."

Shizune "Of course, you aren't the representative of this class, are you?"

Misha "Of course, you aren't the representative of this class, right, right~?"

Lilly "I'm not."

I'm very amused by Misha repeating Shizune, who is stating the obvious.

Shizune "Good timing, class rep, we need to talk."

Misha "Class rep~! It's a good thing you're here~! We have to talk."

Shizune "The festival will be here in three days. Every other class has handed in their projected budget reports for their events. Even the first years. All except you."

Misha translates Shizune's cold signing with so much happiness, it's impossible for anyone to tell Shizune is speaking. As usual, she finishes the sentence with her trademark "Wahaha~!".

Lilly "There's still time to hand it in, isn't there?"

The air in the room turns cold. Birds outside the window stop chirping. I stop as I'm about to drink the broth from my cup ramen. In a matter of seconds, the atmosphere of the room goes from pleasant, to unpleasantly suffocating.

Shizune "The deadline is today. You're taking your sweet time, aren't you? If I had my way, I would've had all of the paperwork days ago, but somebody requested that the deadline be extended."

Even Hisao is aware of what's about to happen. Misha's harsh words are said with an enviable amount of cheerfulness. It tips off Lilly as well.

Lilly "That would be me. Planning something on such a large scale is not an easy task to accomplish. A week is too small a time frame to expect class 3-2 to work out such a complex issue completely."

Shizune "You think that's difficult? I've handled the same issue for every class of every year in this school and then some!"

Misha tries to fit the role of the antagonist in the scenario. She manages to look the part, which is pointless because it's Lilly she's talking to, but she just sounds too happy to fit the role. Lilly is far from amused by this.

Kuroki "There's still a whole day left, Shizune. Complaining about it is only going to waste your time."

I say it and sign it so that everyone in the room understands.

Lilly seems thankful that I've taken her side, and continues the argument.

Lilly "If this is about the budget, I'm disappointed you think I have forgotten about it. I understand that it's important."

Shizune "May I see the report?"

Hisao "Shizune, she might not have it right now."

Lilly "It's not here right now. I asked two student from my class to take care of it for me."

Shizune "It's your responsibility as class representative to take care of the budget report yourself, you aren't supposed to just delegate it away. Your disregard for proper procedure is astounding."

Lilly "They completed the report, but they've been sick the past few days, so they could not come to school to turn it in. If you would like, I could apologize on their behalf for getting sick."

Misha "Okay~!"

Misha missed the verbal jab entirely. Shizune doesn't though, she's shaking from anger.

Shizune "Most students live in the dorms, no? That's a mere five minute walk to drop off something that will effect the enjoyment of their entire class."

Lilly starts to say something, but Shizune cuts her off by closing the distance between them.

Shizune "Beside, I told you that it's not something you should be delegating away. Aren't you class representative? Give me the names of those students, if they can handle the budget report better than you, they should be class rep.

Lilly "I have more than just a budget report to take care of."

I have to hand it to her, Lilly's patience is impressive. At this point, I would just say something to piss them off and walk away. You have my respect, Lilly.

Shizune "Of course, you do _so_ much work, class rep. It sure must be difficult being you."

Shizune signs it in a way that makes it obviously sarcastic, but Misha, the clueless cottenhead, says it without even a shred of sarcasm.

These two are enemies, it's plain as day. I think Lilly is finished taking bullshit, because she delivers the next few words sharply, without remorse.

Lilly "You must be quite efficient to have finished all the reports for all the classes so quickly that you have time left over to track me down and remind me of my own.

Shizune "Are you saying I'm slacking off? You seem to be confusing me with yourself!"

Lilly "I doubt it. That would be a very difficult thing for me to do; comparing myself to you."

Shizune "Indeed, we're as different as heaven and hell."

Lilly "I don't think it takes much effort to guess which one you represent."

_Oh shit._

I don't dare even breath. The room is filled with blood lust. The person who steps in between them first dies, that much is certain.

My cup ramen is still halfway to my mouth. Even Misha, the cottonhead, starts to understand what's really going on. With Shizune losing the argument, she turns to me and Hisao as a last resort.

Shizune "That means you two as well, don't slack off like this broad."

Misha "Kucchan~! Hicchan~! Don't you slack off either~!"

Hisao "Hey, I've only been here a week. What am I supposed to do?"

Kuroki "How childish."

Lilly "Expecting a new student to jump in on his first week is unrealistic."

Hisao "Yeah, You're being unreasonable with all three of us."

Kuroki "I second that opinion."

Shizune is doing a very good job at looking neutral. I can tell she's actually pissed.

Misha "Excuses, excuses! You had plenty of opportunities to join student council and help with the work, but you declined every time~!"

Hisao "But like I said, I'm not sure if..."

Hisao, you had better be careful, the next few words you say will either save you, or kill you.

Hisao "Whatever. Forget it."

With these words, he turns his back on Misha and Shizune.

Ouch.

Kuroki "Lilly, I'll let Hanako know you were looking for her. I'll be in the tearoom for lunch. I'll bring something to share."

Hisao "I'll do the same."

Lilly "Thank you, Hisao, Kuroki."

As she leaves, she makes the nicest smile I've seen in ages.

I drink the broth from the first ramen I brought for breakfast. I reach into my lunch box, and remove the second cup ramen, which is miraculously still warm.

Meanwhile, Shizune is signing furiously to Misha. I dare not repeat what she's saying out loud. It's a little funny seeing her flip out.

I tear my attention from Shizune, pull the lid off of my second cup ramen, and continue eating. As I eat, I remember what Hisao told me before Lilly came into the room.

"I'm pretty sure this school has a Writing Club, why not join?"

He has a good point.

**[Join the Writing Club]**  
**[Stay in Go-Home Club]**

* * *

This is the last choice I'm going to put in this story.

PM me and tell me what choice you want our 'boring' protagonist to make.


	9. Act I, Part VII

Alright guys, At the moment I'm writing this, I'm suffering from writer's block.

I hope it doesn't look too forced.

Act I, Part VII

* * *

14:00

Kuroki "Hisao, I think you went a little overboard when you just turned your back on her like that."

Hisao "I know, I know. She did piss me off a bit when she tried to pull us into that argument."

It's past lunchtime. Me, Hisao and Hanako are in the tea room. Lilly apparently had some work to do, so she asked us to keep Hanako company

Hisao "But seriously. More ramen?"

Kuroki "I love ramen."

Hisao "There's a limit to how much you should love ramen."

Kuroki "Knock it off, You're starting to sound like my girlfriend."

Hisao "You have a girlfriend?"

I stop with my chopsticks halfway to my mouth. Both Hisao and Hanako are staring at me. Damn, I let that slip. I've hardly known them for a day and I've lowered my guard around them unconscously. I need to use more caution.

After a long pause, I give a blunt reply.

Kuroki "Had."

Hisao "Oh."

Hisao is also good at reading the mood, it seems. He doesn't question me any further. Hanako is about to open her mouth, but Hisao gives her a look, telling her not to say anything.

Kuroki "Oh yeah. Hanako, want to play a game of chess?"

Hanako "O-Okay"

Kuroki "I'll be black. Show no mercy."

Hanako "I won't hold back."

* * *

16:25

True to her word, Hanako was merciless. We were both pretty well matched, I have a queen, a rook, a knight and three pawns left. Hanako has a knight, a bishop, a rook, two pawns, and no queen. I bite my lip, contemplating my next move carefully. If I can keep her from getting her queen back, the game is as good as mine. I move my knight decisively, eliminating one pawn. Only one left. I eliminate the knight she has blocking my pawn, allowing it to move forward. I remove her rook from the board, leaving only her king, a bishop, and the pawn. I move my queen to check the king, making sure not to move it into harm's way. After Hanako dodges my queen, I exchange my pawn for a bishop. Three moves later, the game ends.

* * *

16:45

I sit back and relax.

Kuroki "Wow, this is actually the first time losing has been fun for me."

Hisao "That was very entertaining."

Hanako "G-Good game."

After I obtained my bishop, Hanako somehow managed to checkmate my king with her remaining pieces.

Kuroki "Since I lost, I guess I'll go make a vending machine run. My treat."

I stand up, stretch, and head for the door.

Then it happens.

A sudden drowsiness hits me, my legs get heavy, and I lose my sense of balance.

Hisao "Kuroki?"

Hanako "Kuroki!"

I fall backwards into my own hellish nightmare.

* * *

18:20

Nurse "Looks like he only passed out, no need to worry."

Hisao "That's a relief."

Kuroki 's eyelids twitch slightly and open.

Kuroki "Where... am I?"

Nurse "Ah, the sleeping beauty awakens at last. Good morning, Nazonoko."

He sits up in bed, looking very much like a child that just woke up from a nap.

Kuroki "Shut up. I'm tired of hearing that stupid nickname."

A loud yawn interrupts his sentence. He rubs the sleep from his eyes and looks around in a daze.

Kuroki "I am in the nurse's office. I passed out?"

He turns his different colored eyes to me, wearing a dreamy look on his face, which raises my heart rate a little.

Kuroki "Hey Hanako. Sorry for the trouble I caused you two."

Hanako "I-It's alright. You couldn't help it, r-right?"

He gets out of bed, yawning once again. He puts his eyepatch back on and stretches.

Kuroki "It's a quarter past six. I wanted to get to the library today."

Nurse "You wouldn't have made it no matter what time you went. The library is closed on sundays."

Kuroki sighs and closes his eyes for a moment, looking very tired.

Kuroki "I must be really out of it to forget something that obvious. I think I'll eat and go straight to bed today."

I know I probably shouldn't ask, but I open my mouth and force out a question.

Hanako "D-do you have a sleeping disorder?"

Kuroki looks at me with his brown eye, probably debating in his head wether he should anwser or not.

Kuroki "Narcolepsy. I was diagnosed when I was fifteen."

He says it so bluntly that most would think that he was talking about someone else.

Hanako "O-oh. Okay."

Nurse "Well, Kuroki, if you could just follow me into here, I would like to give you a quick check-up."

Kuroki "Okay."

Kuroki follows the nurse into the examination room, closing the door behind him.

Hisao "Hanako, I've got to run into town for some things. Could you walk Kuroki to the dorms to make sure he doesn't fall asleep halfway there?"

I freeze in my seat. I tell myself that it's impossible. I might have a panic attack if I'm left alone with him, especially since that thing in our homeroom.

Despite this, I open my mouth and awnser without hesitation.

Hanako "Okay, I can do that."

_What did I just get myself into?_

* * *

**Sorry this chapter took so long, I had a severe case of writer's block, and I also had to work overtime for the past few days.**

**It might be a while before you see another chapter.**

**Until then, be sure to drop a review. I'll see you guys around.**

**-Writer**


	10. Act I, Part VIII

Act I, Part VIII

* * *

18:25

I walk out of the examination room, closing the door behind me.

Hanako "H-hey, Kuroki."

Kuroki "You're still here? Where is Hisao? I didn't think he would leave you behind."

Hanako "He... had some things to do."

Kuroki "Well, I have to go to the dorms. Do you think you could accompany me in case I pass out?"

Hanako jumps at my words.

Hanako "N-no, I don't mind!"

She seems really nervous for some reason.

* * *

18:30

I arrive at the boys' dorms.

Kuroki "Thanks for walking me. I'll see you tomorrow."

Hanako "G-goodnight."

Hanako smiles at me and turns to leave.

I think it might have been the sunset, but... I could have sworn I saw her blushing as she smiled at me. I write it off as my tired mind playing tricks on me, and go to my room.

Open arriving at my room, I notice a manila envelope hung around my doorknob. I check the sender's name and freeze.

_Miyamoto Yukine._

All thought processes stop.

I snatch the envelope off the knob and enter my room quickly, almost slamming the door shut. I'm almost hyperventilating. I tear open the envelope and remove the contents: three letters... and the original manuscript for "Black Key".

_Oh god._

The first letter is from Yukine, Miko's mother. I carefully unseal it, despite my shaking hands, and read it.

_Dear Kucchan,_

_I found these while cleaning Miko's room. Her will is in the open envelope, in case you haven't read it yet. I want you to know that Miko loved you very much, and that everyone in this family is thankful to you for being with her, even if her father won't admit it. There's another letter in here addressed to you, I didn't read it, so I have no clue what she wrote in there. There must have been something embarrassing written in that letter of hers, or she would have given it to you. In accordance with her will, I have sent a manuscript to you, although nobody in this house knows how she got the manuscript for "Black Key". Before I go, I have one last thing to say._

_You will always be family to the Miyamotos. Always. -Yukine_

I fold the first letter and reach for the second, ignoring the one that's already open.

_Dear Kuroki,_

_I know this is an embarrassing thing for you to hear, but I have to get it off my chest. I always knew you were actually Kurotori. You actually did a good job of hiding it from me for the first few weeks after Black Key was published. Ichigo told me that you had been staying up late using the typewriter up until Black Key was released, which was the first clue. The second one was the manuscript I found. After running a piece of paper through your typewriter and comparing it to the manuscript, I noticed that they both had the exact same faded 'o' and 'w', which confirmed my suspicions. I want to let you know that you don't have to hide it from me any longer, because I'll always love you no matter what. Even if you wrote a crappy novel, or didn't write one at all, my feelings wouldn't change._

_Love (even though I'm not sending this), -Miko_

_\- P.S. I'll admit it was pretty funny watching you pretend to have not even read the book, though._

It takes me a minute to realize tears are slipping down my face. It's so like her to write something like this.

I open my mouth and tell myself something I should have told myself a long time ago.

Kuroki "I miss her."

_I miss her so much._

* * *

Monday, 12:45

I stand on the rooftop, holding a note in my hand.

I'm not a big fan of cliches, but neither is the person who wrote the note. Hisao noticed it sticking out of my schoolbag while we were in the cafeteria. They probably stuck it in my bag while I was in line. At least this shows some initiative.

But seriously, I've only been here a few days, and I'm on the receiving end of a confession? I know I shouldn't jump to conclusions, but I've received a few confession letters before, and I think I know where this will most likely go.

While I wait for the note's writer, I think about last night's letter.

Miko was everything to me. She was the reason I started trying to get to class on time. She was the reason I could write Black Key. She is also the reason I'm standing here, still alive. As I think back to the time we spent together, I only now realize how precious she was to me. Now that I've accepted her death, I don't really have a reason to keep going.

_Now that she's gone, is my life over?_

My thoughts are interrupted by the door to the roof opening. A young girl with blue eyes and long white hair is now standing across from me.

_A second year?_

Kuroki "Hello."

White Haired Girl "Makina-senpai? What are you doing here?"

Kuroki "Waiting for someone."

Akane "Oh! I'm sorry! I didn't introduce myself. My name is Aizawa Akane. May I ask who you're waiting for?"

Kuroki "I have no clue, to be honest. I got a note asking me to wait here during lunch period."

She looks taken aback for a moment.

Akane "You got a note?"

Kuroki "Yes. Were you the one who wrote it, by chance?"

She erupts into a fiery blush, but responds all the same.

Akane "No, but I think one of my friends may have written that."

I see. One of her friends set up a confession for her. That would explain why she looked totally clueless when she walked up here.

Kuroki "Your friend must have the wrong idea then. Sorry if I bothered you. I'll be going now."

I walk to the door. Just as I'm about to open it, she shouts.

Akane "Wait, Senpai! My friend didn't have had the wrong idea, I..."

She looks down, blushing. She's trying to force the words out.

Akane "I saw you on the day you transferred in. I haven't been able to get you out of my head since then. I want to get to know you better..."

She's still looking at her feet and blushing, but I can tell she's being entirely honest about her feelings. She continues to shuffle her feet, trying to find words.

Akane "So I was wondering if you could maybe go out with me..."

I'm trying to think of an answer. Surprisingly, I'm actually considering if I should accept them, but it feels like something is holding me back.

After a long pause, I open my mouth and speak.

Kuroki "I'm flattered, but this is too sudden for me. Could you give me some time to think about it?"

She looks up at me. She looks... disappointed.

Akane "I understand, Senpai."

_She was entirely honest with me. It's only fair if I am as well._

Kuroki.  
"To tell the truth, I was in a relationship until a while ago. I haven't gotten over her yet."

A pause.

Akane "Did she leave you?"

Another pause.

Kuroki "You could say it that way."

Akane "I understand. Thank you for hearing me out."

The second year student looks extremely bummed out. Suddenly, I have an idea.

Kuroki "Do you think we could eat lunch together with friends for a few days?"

She looks confused for a moment.

Akane "I don't mind, Senpai."

Kuroki "You don't need to be so formal. You can just call me Kuroki. I'm not really one for surnames. You don't mind if I call you Akane, right?"

She gives a small smile.

Akane "If that's what you want to do, I don't mind."

I return her smile.

Kuroki "Starting tomorrow, we'll hang out during lunch. It'll give us time to understand eachother better."

With these parting words, I leave her on the rooftop. As I close the door behind me, I start thinking.

How the hell am I supposed to return a girl's feelings if I can't stop thinking about Miko? The longer I hold on, the more people I will hurt. I told Akane that I would consider her feelings seriously and I damn well intend to do so. But how am I supposed to do that if I've only recently accepted Miko's death? If I don't let go of her soon, I'm going to end up like one of those emo characters you see in anime.

If I'm worried about that last part, I guess I still have some will to live left after all, even if It's just a small spark. I'll create a new goal, something I can pour myself into.

_It's a start._

I tell myself this as I head to class.

* * *

**Another case of writer's block, I'm afraid. I had to rewrite this chapter three times until I was satisfied.**

**To Ansance (I apologize if I spelled the name wrong): Your review was very encouraging to me and I appreciate your support a lot. I plan on writing another section from Hanako's point of view in the next chapter. Look forward to it!**


	11. Act II, Part I

Act II: "Their Feelings, My Feelings." Part I

* * *

Kotarou "Hey, Kuroki, I want to show you something cool when we get home."

Kuroki "What is it, Kota?"

Kotarou "It's a secret until we-"

Suddenly, the direction of gravity changes and my head gets flung into the window next to me. I hear glass shattering and Kotori screaming her brother's name.

Every thing around me is darkening and I have to fight to remain conscious. I look around.

Kotarou isn't in the front seat anymore. Kotori's back is bent in an impossible position. Aunt Mayaka is unconscious in the front seat, her head resting on the steering wheel. With some effort, I push the door open. I walk over to the other side and yank the door off it's hinges. After pulling Kotori out and laying her on the ground, I take Aunt Mayaka's cellphone and dial 119. I give the operators my location and leave the cellphone with Kotori.

I notice a few cars that have stopped on the other side of the road. I walk over to see what they're looking at.

_Kotarou_

Blood. A lot more than a person can live without. I break into a run, heading straight for the crowd of people. I break through the crowds of people. I find him.

Kuroki "Kotarou!"

The only things that distinguish him are the clothes he was wearing. His head crushed, his face is unrecognisible. Hot tears start pouring down my cheeks as I shake him, hoping in vain he would hop back to life as if nothing had happened.

Suddenly, his hand snaps to life and grabs my throat.

As I suffocate, a man in a white labcoat steps out of the crowd.

Doctor "I'm afraid Kuroki has been diagnosed with Schizophrenia."

* * *

Monday

18:30

I wake with a start.

I'm lying on my face, disoriented. I have no clue where I am, so I sit up and look around.

I'm in a nearly empty classroom. I must have passed out during class. I'm still dressed in my old school uniform. My uniform has grey dresspants, a white dress shirt, and a black vest. My new uniform doesn't fit, so they told me I could wear my old uniform until they got next order.

I reach into my desk to grab my schoolbag and pull out my notebook again.

* * *

_It was evening when the black van drove into the old town._

_It's owner was a young man in his twenties. He pulled the van_

_onto an old gravel parking lot and stepped out of the vehicle._

_As the evening sunlight shined on his black hair, he closed the_

_car door and began to walk along a stone path that led uphill._

_After about three minutes of walking, he reaches his old home._

_A shrine that he had now legally inherited._

_He walks up to the old patio, memories reflecting in his dark_

_gray eyes. An old woman rocking gently in her chair looks up at_

_the man. She lets out a gasp and stands up. "Akihiko? Is that you?"_

_The man smiles. "Yes, I've come home, mother." Akihiko said._

_The woman briskly walks to him and embraces her son. He returns_

_it. "We were so worried when you said you wouldn't be coming home_

_for a long time." The old woman cried into his shoulder. He was on_

_the brink of tears himself. "I'm sorry I've been gone so long. I was_

_trying not to get you two involved in my work. It's very dangerous."_

_His mother simply shook her head. "It's not your fault. You only_

_wanted to protect us. You din't have a choice." Akihiko breaks off_

_the embrace. "That doesn't mean it was okay to vanish for five years."_

_The woman smiles through her tears. "I'm just glad you're home,_

_Akihiko." Akihiko smiles again. However, this smile is full of hated._

_"Thanks for the welcome, scum."_

_ Akihiko draws a suppressed USP .45 and releases two quiet_

_shots from the gun. Both hit the woman in the head, her body_

_is flung back into the wall by the force and bursts into dust._

_Akihiko stands over the ashes and pulls something from them. A_

_small silver crucifix necklace with a black stone in the center._

_ The man pockets the necklace and dials a number on his cellphone._

_After two rings, he is answered by a tired voice. "Hellooo?" Akihiko_

_sighs and responds. "We're here, Inori. I left the keys in the ignition._

_Follow the stone path until you reach the shrine. I've found our new_

_headquarters." Akihiko hangs up the phone and readies his portable_

_floodlight. "There's more where that first one came from." He thought_

_aloud as he ran headfirst into the old shrine._

* * *

I finish the last sentence and lay my pencil off to the side. That should be enough for today, it's not like I'm planning to release it soon. As I start packing my schoolbag, I notice that there are several heads poking into the classroom through the back door. I make eye contact with a first year girl. She blushes and pulls her head out of the doorway.

_Wonderful. I have a fanclub now._

Surprisingly, I wasn't bothered by the idea of a fanclub. I had one at my last school and they spent a large amount of time harassing Miko. Maybe it's because they aren't harassing anyone right now?

Kuroki "If you guys want, you can come in."

Having them watch me from the door is a little unsettling, so I invite them in. There's three of them. They introduce themselves.

Aizawa Yuuki, Class 1-4, shoulder length white hair, blue eyes, wearing a prosthetic leg.

Kuroki "You wouldn't happen to be related to an Aizawa Akane, would you?"

Yuuki "Yes, I'm her younger sister. Did you meet her?"

Kuroki "Yeah, I met her while I was going to eat lunch on the roof."

I tell a half-truth. I was planning on eating lunch on the roof if I hadn't been confessed to.

Tobioka Ken, Class 2-2, short black hair, hazel eyes, right eye looks a little blurry.

Ken "Nice to make your acquaintance, Makina-senpai."

Kuroki "Likewise. You can just call me Kuroki, I don't really like my surname that much."

Ken "I hope you'll do likewise for me, Kuroki-senpai."

And last but not least, Tori "TK" Kenway (western format), Class 1-4, long blond/brown hair, amber eyes, can't move her right arm very well.

Kuroki "That's a western surname. Where were you born?"

TK "I was born in Japan, but my father is American. People started calling me "TK", so I stuck with it."

Kuroki "That's pretty cool. I'm actually Scottish/American with a little Japanese blood as well. My surname is a nationalized name. It's spelled different but pronounced the same in English."

TK "Have you ever worn a kilt?"

Kuroki "Yes, but I'll tell you right now that it's not as good as you're thinking."

TK "What do you mean?"

Kuroki "You don't wear underwear with a kilt."

This causes Ken to break down laughing. TK's face turns red and Yuuki manages to stifle a grin. After Ken manages to control himself, I speak.

Kuroki "Of course, I wore shorts underneath. All three of you just imagined me holding my kilt down in the wind going "Kyaaaaa!", didn't you?"

Ken's face turns red with laughter, while the girls' faces turn red with embarrassment. I hit the mark. I almost start laugh, but my windpipe closes as I'm about to, sending me into a coughing fit and drawing concern from my underclassmen.

Kuroki "*cough* It's nothing, it's just- *cough* I haven't laughed in a while."

Ken raises an eyebrow at that statement.

Ken "If you don't mind me asking, do you have a lung condition?"

I shake my head.

Kuroki "No, nothing like that. I'm a narcoleptic. I got sent here by my mother after an accident."

Yuuki "Ken, knock it off. He might not want to talk about it."

Kuroki "It's not something I'll bring up unless somebody asks. I don't mind telling you my story. I'm sick of people calling me "The Mystery Child of Class 3-3" just because they think I have some tragic backstory."

My true feelings leak out. The reason everyone called me _Nazonoko_ was because I kept everything to myself. I closed myself off from everybody else, because I didn't care enough to involve myself in social matters. But now that I've gotten a chance to fix it, I won't let it get away. If someone asks me what my life was like before Yamaku, I'll say "complete chaos" with a grin on my face.

TK "It's not something you want to talk about, though, right?"

Kuroki "Not really, no. But I'm fine with you asking if you want to know. I won't ask you to tell me your's in return."

TK "Well, mine's actually pretty simple. I took a large shard of glass to my arm. It severed a few tendons, but that's pretty much it."

Kuroki "That stinks."

Ken "I took a dart to the eye. What about you? What's wrong with your eye?"

Kuroki "Well, this eyepatch is just to cover up heterochromia. I'm not missing an eye or anything like that."

I pull off my eyepatch. They gasp.

Ken "Wow. That's so cool!"

Yuuki "It's beautiful."

Kuroki "It caused some trouble in middle school, so I started wearing an eyepatch to hide it. The nurse told me that I would be find without it. I should have taken his advice."

TK "Heterochromia isn't really a disability, but I don't think anyone here will make fun of you."

Kuroki "I was told that I was going to a special school for special people, but I guess that's just a misconception. This really is just a normal school on the inside."

I look at my watch.

18:50

Kuroki "Wow, Is it that time already? I had fun talking to you guys, but I have to go. I still haven't unpacked everything yet."

This time I tell the complete truth. Talking with other students like this. I remember when Miko managed to drag my into a conversation with her classmates, It was actually fun. I almost forgot what it was like to just spend time talking to friends or family.

I'm not forgetting her, but I'm letting go.

_That's okay, isn't it, Miko?_

I'll never hear her voice again, but her influence still effects me. It's probably because of her that I haven't let go of my life. I'm thankful for that. Thankful beyond words.

Yuuki "Kuroki, are you alright?"

I give her a smile and ruffle her hair, much to her dismay.

Kuroki "I'm alright. Just remember the good times I spent with good people."

Ken "You had a kinda lonely expression on your face just now."

Yuuki "Onee-chan told me that you had a girlfriend once. I was told she left you."

Ken and TK stare at me wide-eyed in surprise. I smile.

Kuroki "Yes, that's right. She did leave me, but it wasn't her choice, and I don't hate her for it."

Ken "Did she pass away?"

Yuuki and TK glare at Ken, who yelps and manages to dodge a kick from a prosthetic.

Kuroki "Yeah. Car accident. I was there."

"Oh." They all say in unison. The mood in the classroom got gloomy pretty quick.

Kuroki "Don't make that face. It happened a year ago. I have to let go eventually."

Ken "I actually came here from the Newspaper Club. There are all kinds of twisted rumors going around. Have you seen the headline in yesterday's paper?"

He removes a copy of the school paper from his bag and shows it to me.

**The Yamaku Paperboy**

Sunday, April 27th

_**Mysterious new transfer student!**_

_On saturday afternoon, a transfer student by the name of _Makina Kuroki

_appeared in the classroom of 3-3 without so much as a sound. He was_

_discovered during lunch by the student sitting next to him. "I stood up_

_during the lunch break and was shocked to discover a person had appear_

_-ed right next to me. I was so surprised, I nearly tripped over my chair!"_

_said _Tainaka Ritsu_, Former drummer of the band "_After School Teatime_"._

Kuroki "Oh my. Who's the fortunate rapscallion who wrote this article?"

I look down at the bottom of the article.

_Mikado Kazuki._

_Mikado._

Kuroki "Mikado, huh? This wouldn't happen to be someone related to Mikado Shiina, would it?"

Ken "Sure. That's her little brother. He's got a slightly similar persona, but he's very different from his sister."

TK "Kuroki-senpai, you look scary~"

I realize that I'm gripping the newspaper tightly.

Kuroki "Being mysterious is a curse. Maybe I can get an interview and fix this?"

I hand the paper to Ken, who drops it.

Ken "You really mean it? You want me to interview you?"

Yuuki makes a worried face.

Kuroki "Yeah, I mean, if it's alright with you."

Ken "Okay. Want to go to the Shanghai? It's a nice little teahouse at the bottom of the hill."

Kuroki "That's fine."

I grab my schoolbag and throw it over my shoulder.

Kuroki "You and TK can go on ahead, I've got a few people I want to bring with me."

TK jumps.

TK "O-okay."

Kuroki "Yuuki, can you go ask your sister to come too? I've got a few people to invite as well."

Yuuki "Sure, I don't think she'll mind."

Kuroki "Thanks. I'll be there shortly. I already know the way there."

Ken "See you later."

Yuuki "Bye bye."

Kuroki "See you in a few."

I exit the classroom and head for the tearoom. I'm in high spirits today, which is rare. As I tile skip, I think to myself.

_I wonder if Hanako will want to come._


	12. Act II, Part II

**I apologize for the wait. I have been really busy this past week because my boss has needed me to work overtime due to lack of employees.**

**Without further ado, I present Part II of Act II.**

**Please pay close attention to the time stamps between scenes, because you get to see what happens ten minutes before the previous scene.**

* * *

Act II, Part II

* * *

18:55

Kuroki "So, that's what's going on. Could you three come too?"

Hisao "I'm game. What about you two?"

Lilly "Of course, I'll be thrilled to accompany you."

Hanako is dead silent. This is what I expected. I had pegged Hanako as a person who disliked crowds, but I didn't think that she could possibly be this shy. Hisao once told me that Hanako had literally run away when they had first met. I laughed at him, of course. But I'm beginning to think he might have been telling the truth. Hanako opens her mouth, and I prepare to hear a "Sorry", she speaks.

Hanako "I-if it's alright with you, I'll t-tag along."

Hisao and Lilly don't do a good job of hiding their surprise. Hisao gags on his tea and Lilly physically flinches. Hanako doesn't seem to notice this, though.

Kuroki "I'm going to go on ahead now. I'll see you guys there."

I wave as I walk out of the tearoom.

* * *

19:15

After a few minutes of walking, me, Lilly and Hisao arrive at the Shanghai. I look in the window as we head to the door. Kuroki is with four other students who are wearing the Yamaku Academy uniform. He catches my gaze through the window and waves, giving me a childish grin. Our trio walks in the door, and we're greeted by a frantic Yuuko.

Yuuko "Welcome to the Shanghai!"

She bows so deeply that her glasses fall off. I can't help but giggle at her display. Hisao stoops down and picks up her glasses, handing them back to her.

Yuuko "Oh, it's you three. Would you like to be seated?"

Kuroki "It's alright, Yuuko. They're with us."

Kuroki waves us over to the table.

Kuroki "Pick what you like, guys. It's my treat."

Kuroki actually looks... kinda cute with that silly childlike grin on his face. I wish he would smile like that more often.

Hisao "Hanako? Are you going to order?"

Hanako "O-o-oh! I-I'll just have vanilla black tea."

I hope Kuroki didn't see me staring at him like that. In order to prevent embarring myself, I shift my eyes. I make eye contact with Akane, the girl with blue eyes and long white hair. The hair on the back of my neck goes up. There's something about this girl I don't like. I don't know why, but something about her just sets off warning bells in my head.

We break eye contact because my order arrived. I silently thank Yuuko for being quick that time and let myself relax.

* * *

19:10

The bell on the door rings, signalling a visitor. Yuuko stands up in a panic and runs to the door.

Kuroki "Yuuko, Relax. It's just me."

Yuuko "Kuroki! Good evening! Would you like to be seated?"

Kuroki "I'm fine, Yuuko. I'm meeting some people here."

The entire shop is empty except for us. Kuroki scans the shop for a few seconds before he sees us. He raises a hand and walks over to us with a smile.

Kuroki "You guys haven't ordered yet, have you?"

Akane "No. We were waiting for you, Kuroki."

Kuroki "Sorry about that. I took a little longer than I though.

TK "We've only been here for five minutes. We weren't waiting all that long."

Yuuki "Who did you invite?"

Kuroki sits in the chair next to me and leans into it.

Kuroki "I invited the first three friends I've made here. Hisao, Hanako and Lilly."

Ken gasps. Oh dear. He's about to go off on another tangent.

Ken "Seriously? You've only been here since saturday and you've already managed to befriend some of the most popular people in the school!"

Kuroki "You can't possibly be talking about Hisao."

Ken "He transferred in a few days before you, caused a bit of a buzz. But no, I was referring to Satou-senpai and her friend."

Kuroki "That would explain why she amused when I complained about being popular."

I giggle at that.

Well, they are well known for sticking together. Ikezawa-senpai earned some popularity once Satou-senpai started coming to her class to pick her up. She also earned the animosity of the two man student council at that time as well.

Kuroki "Well, Shizune did seem like the antagonist type. It wouldn't surprise me if she messed with Hanako just to get back at Lilly."

Given name basis for all three? I guess he's really not one for honerifics.

We make small talk regarding the maleviolent student council. I notice Kuroki look out a window and wave at someone. After a few seconds, the visiter bell chimes.

Kuroki "They're here."

Three people walk in. The first one is Satou Lilly, a tall blonde "amazon" girl who's blind. The second one an unfamiliar boy with short, messy brown hair. The third one is Ikezawa Hanako, a shy girl with burn scars and long dark hair. All three of them are third-years.

Yuuko "Welcome to the Shanghai!"

She bows so deeply that her glasses fall off. I see Ikezawa stifle a giggle. The messy-haired upperclassman stoops down and picks up her glasses, handing them back to her.

Yuuko "Oh, it's you three. Would you like to be seated?"

Kuroki "It's alright, Yuuko. They're with us."

Kuroki waves them over with a grin on his face. Come to think of it, he looks really cute with that smile. The three new visitors join us after introducing themselves. After they sit down, I look over them. I accidently make eye contact with Ikezawa, who locks eyes with me. Alarm bells go off in my head.

This girl...

_She's in love with Kuroki, isn't she?_

19:20

Kuroki "Right then. Ken, why don't you go ahead and start the interview?"

Ken "Alright. Kuroki-senpai, what's you favorite food?"

Kuroki "A trivial question right off the bat? Okay. Cup ramen."

Lilly manages to stifle a grin. Hanako giggles.

Ken "That's surprisingly normal. You mentioned that you were Scottish/American with a little Japanese."

Kuroki "That's right. My father is Scottish and my mother was a third Japanese."

Ken "Are you an only child?"

Kuroki "I was, for a while. After my mother passed away and my father remarried, I had a little sister. She attends this school too, even though she's perfectly healthy."

Ken continues to scribble down on a notebook.

Ken "What do you think of your friends?"

Kuroki "Hmm... Well, Hisao seems like a generic nice guy."

Hisao chokes on his tea.

Kuroki "A generic nice guy that I actually like."

Lilly fails to stifle a laugh, and Hanako giggles loudly.

Hisao glares at me, but quickly smirks.

Hisao "Well, I'm _absolutely_ touched that you would go to such lengths for a "generic nice guy" like me. Thank you."

I take his sarcasm at face value and reply with a smile.

Kuroki "You're very welcome."

Ken "What about Lilly?"

Kuroki "I think of Lilly as more of an... older cousin, maybe? She reminds me of my late mother. A kind mature woman with an element of childishness."

Lilly giggles at this.

Lilly "My, my. I'm glad you hold me in high regards, Kuroki."

Kuroki "As for Hanako..."

Hanako nearly falls out of her chair from being addressed.

Kuroki "Hanako is..."

I moved a hand up to my chin and stroke my stubble. Everyone is leaned forward in their chairs, waiting for my words.

Come to think of it, I don't know Hanako that well. We've read and played chess in the tearoom together. She's a bookworm who loves chess. That's all that comes to mind.

Kuroki "A shy bookworm with a warm heart and an affinity for war strategy."

This results in several people falling over.

Kuroki "Oops."

Ken "You didn't really think before you said that, did you?"

Kuroki "I didn't really think before I said the last two things, either."

Hisao sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose.

Hisao "At least you're honest."

Kuroki "...Why are you making it sound like a bad thing?"

Ken "I think that what he means to say that you're _too_ honest."

Kuroki "Oh. You want me to lie?"

TK "I don't think that's what he meant, Senpai."

As I try to shift the topic off of my blunt honesty, my eye shift onto Hisao's hair, of all things.

_Wait, I'm not the only male in Japan with an ahoge?_

Kuroki "Woah, you have an ahoge there, man."

Hisao frowns and lifts up his hand, trying in vain to lay down the single strand of hair.

Hisao "I'm self-conscious about it, you know."

Kuroki "Sorry, Hisao. I guess that makes two of us."

Ken "Wait, it actually gets under your skin when people make fun of your ahoge?"

Kuroki "Of course. I'm not bulletproof, you know. I'm only human."

For the next hour, the conversation goes all over the place. I have to admit, I enjoy it.

20:30

Kuroki "See you guys tomorrow!"

I wave as TK and Ken part ways with us. There are a few people who actually live in the area rather than the dorms. During the days I was allowed out of the hospital, I would live in my vacation home in the Yamaku area. I've only visited it twice before the accident. Ichigo moved there when we transferred. Due to some... emotional issues, I moved into the dorms instead of my vacation home.

As TK and Ken round a corner, I notice them entwine their hands, which makes me think about what I'm going through. I still have to spend more time with Akane to find out if I'm ready to begin a relationship with her. There might be other confessions as well.

My thoughts are interrupted by a familier voice.

Akira "Huh, is that you, Kurocchi?"

Kuroki "Aki-nee? What are you doing here?"

Akira "Ishi's with me too. I was helping her tidy up."

Ichigo "Aniki, where have you been? You haven't contacted me in days."

Kuroki "Sorry about that. The last few days have been kinda hectic. I haven't finished unpacking yet."

Ichigo huffs and pouts. I can hardly blame her.

Ichigo "Why didn't you move into the vacation home with me? It's only a five minute walk."

I go silent. I've already told her that I don't want to move into that house, but she still wants me to move in.

Kuroki "Sorry, Ishi. I told you that I can't move into that house."

Ichigo "Why not?"

Kuroki "I have my reasons, Ishi. Can we talk about this another time? I would rather not make a scene infront of my friends."

Ichigo looks over everyone in the group. Her eyes stop over Hanako and Akane once. After a few seconds she nods.

Ichigo "I see. I hope you don't mind the late introduction. My name is Kurugaya Ichigo. I'm in class 3-4. Kuroki is my elder brother."

She give a slight bow. After the others finish their introductions, Akane speaks up.

Akane "I hope you don't mind me asking, but... I noticed that you two have different family names. Are you two blood-related?"

Kuroki "No, we're not blood-related. You don't need to be blood-related for someone to be family."

Akira "Well, Ishi, you tried your best. Let's grab supper and go home. Take care, Lilly."

Lilly "You too, Akira."

Ichigo "Aniki. Call me if you change your mind."

Kuroki "Will do. Don't get your hopes up."

They turn down the next street.

20:35

Me and Hisao, being gentleman of the gentlest nature, escort the girls to the female dorms.

Kuroki "Good night, you guys."

Akane "See you tomorrow. I had fun."

Hanako "M-me too."

Hisao "Night guys."

Before walking into the boys dorms, I notice something.

Wasn't my window closed before I left?

I always check my door before I unlock it. I hope to god it's still locked. I run up the stairs to my hall.

Hisao "The hell? What's going on here?"

Kuroki "I don't know."

There's a small crowd gathered around my room door. I push my way through the crowd and find the door to room 118 to be smashed inwards. I walk into my room. Everything has been ransacked. My desk is toppled over, papers are strewn all over the place, my mini-fridge has been unplugged and is leaking water, and the gray duffle that I put the manuscript and Miko's letter in has been pulled out from it's hiding place under my bed and lays inside-out on the floor.

_Oh Shit._

I walk over to the gray duffle and peer inside. There's a sticky note.

_Dear Kurotori._

_If you want your manuscript and letter back,_

_meet me behind the boy's dorm tomorrow_

_during lunch break._

_P.S: Come alone._

Wow. I didn't think that people actually put 'come alone' in blackmail letters. Wait, never mind that, he has my manuscript and Miko's letter.

There are three options I can think of off the top of my head, but all of them are risky, and one of them might be a _bit_ illegal.

_A: Ignore them._

_B: Meet them and negotiate._

_C: Meet them and beat the ever-living shit out of them._

At this point, I don't really care if my secret is revealed. What matters is that manuscript. It's a part of me, like a limb or an organ. Miko's letter is important to me as well.

Before I do anything though, I need to make a call. I remove my cellphone from my pocket and dial a number.

Ichigo "What's up, Aniki?"

Kuroki "I'll take up your offer. I'll move into the house tomorrow."

I'll go with plan B. If something goes wrong, I'll switch to plan C, even if it might be illegal. Robbery and Blackmail are illegal, but that didn't stop this talented individual from committing the crime.

* * *

**I'm sorry I took so long to release this chapter.**

**Next chapter will be a gag chapter, and will not be directly related to Kuroki's story.**

**I'm going to include background music queues after the gag chapter, so make sure you have the music at the ready for a better reading experience.**

**Remember that I won't tell you who's POV you're seeing from. You have to figure that out for yourself. Sorry if you get confused.**

**EDIT: Also, post a review asking questions about Kuroki. I'll answer them in the next chapter. I'll release the chapter next week because I have work to do.**

**T_T**


	13. Act II, Filler I

Hello. Welcome to the gag chapter.

In this act, I will basically answer questions about Kuroki. This act will be written in third person, rather than a charactor's perspective. You will be shown side stories in this segment that take place both inside and outside the main story line.

**Please remember that this is a gag chapter which will most likely suffer from the following: References, stupidity, borrowed charactors, stupidity, broken fourth walls, stupidity, silliness, overall nonsense, and stupidity. If you are offended by, or do not wish to see these things, please skip this chapter.**

The only character I own is Kuroki.

Without further ado, I present to you "The Something Show."

* * *

A loud fanfare plays, and the curtain begins to rise. The curtain stops halfway, and the sound of malfuntioning machinery can be heard.

Kenji "_Goddamn!_ Have the feminists located me already?!"

A loud crash can be heard. This is most likely Kuroki slamming his head onto his desk.

Kuroki "No, Kenji! There are no feminists at this school! There's no feminist base on Mercury, Venus, Mars, or the moon!"

Kenji "What about Jupiter or Saturn?!"

Kuroki "Those are gas planets! You can't make a base there!"

Kenji "Who said it was on a planet?"

Kuroki grabs his head and speaks in a pained voice.

Kuroki "...I give up. Security, please detain Setou-san and escort him off the premises. Hisao, you're up."

Two stout looking men in uniform grab Kenji by his arms and drag him out of the room, despite his shouting.

Hisao walks up to the stage from the audience.

Cardboard Box "You know he'll be back, right?"

Someone speaks from a large upside-down cardboard box onstage. The box has "THE ORANGE" written on it in english. The name of the individual inside of the box cannot be divulged for copyright reasons.

Kuroki "Hey, maintenence, could you give us a hand with this curtain?"

Tomoya "I can't be summoned like a pokemon!"

Kuroki "Sorry, about that, Tomoya-kun, but this is urgent. The show is live right now, and the curtain won't go up all the way."

Tomoya "Did you try jiggling the switch?"

Kuroki sweatdrops.

Kuroki "No, I didn't try because there's clearly something wrong with the machinery and not the power."

Tomoya disappears backstage for a moment. A powertool screams from behind the stage, and the curtains start to twitch.

Tomoya "WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Kuroki "The hell?"

Tomoya appears onstage again. His hair looks puffed out, his pupils are dilated, and he's twitching uncontrollably.

Tomoya "Try j-jiggling it n-now."

Kuroki jiggles the switch. A loud bang rings out and the curtain falls off the motorized hanger.

The box sweatdrops, and Kuroki sighs.

Kuroki "Whatever. That can be fixed later. Thanks, I guess."

Tomoya "Y-you're welcome!"

Tomoya leaves the stage. As he walks out the door, his hair catches on fire.

Box "I was never an electrician, but shouldn't he have turned off the power before operating on it?"

Kuroki "He's a licensed electrician and mechanic, he should know that..."

Kuroki sighs again.

Kuroki "Anyway, welcome to "The Something Show". I'm your host, Kuroki Machina."

Box "I'll be your commentator. My name is Jac-"

Kuroki "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! No! Do _want_ to get me sued?!"

Box "Oh, my bad. You guys can just call me... Call me Pandora's Box. Just Pandora will work."

Kuroki sweatdrops and clears his throat.

Kuroki "Anyway, This is the part of the show where I read you side stories that take place before, and during my time at Yamaku. After I finish reading, Pandora, Myself, and the guests will talk about parts of the story."

Pandora "Wait, Kuroki, we're missing something."

Kuroki sweatdrops.

Kuroki "If you say we're missing snakes, the only time you'll ever be seen on this show is as a guest or a footrest."

Pandora "We're missing the guests, and snake meat!"

A second and third sweatdrop appear next to Kuroki's first sweatdrop.

Kuroki "You know, that milk snake was pretty good, but the coral snake was awful."

Pandora "Red and yellow, yucky fellow; red and black, friend of Jac-"

Kuroki "Andnowwelcomeourguest pleeeeeeeease!"

Several laughs can be heard among the applause.

Kuroki "Please say hello to Satou Lilly and Ikezawa Hanako."

Lilly and Hanako sit in two armchairs across from Kuroki's desk. Hanako is wearing a pair of glasses with square frames in addition to her regular getup.

Kuroki "Oh, this is a pleasent suprise. How are you two doing today?"

Lilly "I'm well today, Kuroki."

Hanako "I'm doing good today, you?"

Kuroki "Good. I see that you aren't nervous like you usually are."

Hanako "Well, there are several people in the crowd I know, so I don't really feel that nervous."

Kuroki "Now then, shall we get started?"

Kuroki puts his laptop on the desk and inserts a disk labeled "What Ichigo found".

Kuroki "This is a short story that takes place during my move to the family vacation home. This is read from Hanako's point of view. I'm actually really bad at doing girly voices, so do you mind reading this one, Hanako?"

Hanako "Not at all, Kuroki."

Hanako walks over and sits right in Kuroki's lap, causing him to sweatdrop. Someone in the audience wolf whistles.

Pandora "And they said that the girls from Europe were bold."

Kuroki "What are you doing, Hanako?"

Hanako "Y-you don't mind, right, Kuroki?"

Kuroki senses bloodlust from two people in the audience and flashes a strained smile.

Kuroki "Never mind. go ahead and read."

* * *

Tuesday 17:30

I help Kuroki unload the bags from the trunk of Akira's car, and carry them into the entryway.

Hanako "T-this house is actually pretty big..."

Kuroki "Yeah, It's kinda creepy to live in it alone, so Ichigo wanted me to move in with her.

I see. It would be scary to live alone in a place like this. Just imagining it at night give me the chills.

Kuroki "You can just set those on the doorstep. You two go on ahead. If you follow the hallway, the first door on the left is the kitchen. Ichigo should have snacks prepared."

Lilly "That's very kind of you two. Hanako, could you guide me, please? I left my cane in the car, and it seems Akira has already left."

Hanako "Okay, Lilly."

I guide Lilly into the kitchen. I can't see Kuroki's sister, but there's a plate with cookies covered in plastic wrap. There's a note on top.

Hanako "Dear Aniki, these are not to be eaten until unpacking is done. Any guest you bring may have some, though."

Lilly giggles beside me. Kuroki sighs, looking exasperated.

Kuroki "She really knows how to screw with me. Oh well, I was planning on eating after I finished unpa-"

Ichigo "Aaaaaaaa-niiiiiii-KIIIIIIIIIII!"

A tiny object flys through the air.

Kuroki "**Au!**"

It hits Kuroki in the face and lands on the counter next to the cookies. Kuroki rubs his nose and pouts at Ichigo. Ichigo's face is beet red, and she looks angry. They start speaking in English.

Kuroki "[You really need to explain things before hitting me... So, why did you brutally headshot me?]"

Ichigo "[Look at what I hit you with! I found it in your old room!]"

I look down at the object that hit Kuroki. It's a small box of...

Hanako "C-c-c-c-condoms?!"

Lilly sweatdrops at this word.

Kuroki "Wha?!"

Kuroki's grabs the box and throws it out the nearest open window.

Both of them are switching between English and Japanese during the conversation.

Ichigo "T-that was a box of twenty condoms! They were in your nightstand. I-I checked them, and there were only t-twleve!"

Kuroki's physically recoils.

Kuroki "Well, I was in a relationship! That's perfectly normal, right?"

Ichigo "You had s-s-s-sex with Miko eight times during our last stay here?!"

By now, Kuroki is looking like he would rather jump off the Seattle Space Needle than continue the conversation.

Kuroki "[We were in a relationship!] Besides, we only had sex twice during vacation!"

Hanako "...Eeh?"

Kuroki just now realized what he said.

Ichigo "[Pervert! Dog! Animal!] I can't believe you would force your lust onto her like that!"

Kuroki "It was completely consensual! I didn't force myself on her! She went into heat during vacation and since we had been going out for a year, she wanted to consummate the relationship!"

Ichigo "Dog! [I can't believe you didn't run yourself dry halfway through!]"

Kuroki takes a deep breath and speaks in a steady voice. The kind that sends chills up your spine. I can tell he's angry from the tone of his voice. I've only known him for a few days, but he gave the impression that nothing could rustle his jimmies.

Kuroki "I had sex with Miko twice during our relationship. Got a problem with that? Does it effect you in any way? No, it doesn't, does it? Especially not a year after it happened. You are aware this is something I would rather not talk about, right?"

Ichigo is totally speechless. Lilly has four new sweatdrops next to the first one. Suddenly, something falls to the ground behind us. It's Akira. She was probably holding Lilly's cane until a few seconds ago. Her mouth hangs open.

Akira "You left your cane in the car..."

Lilly "Thank you, Akira."

Akira picks the cane back up and hands it to Lilly.

Akira "Then... I'll be going now..."

With that out-of-character sentence, Akira walks out the front door and closes it behind her. Seconds later, the engine can be heard as she gets into her car and leaves.

Kuroki sighs and covers his eyes with one hand, looking very tired all of a sudden.

Kuroki "We only had sex twice during a two-year relationship. That's far less that most couples today. We didn't go at it like wild animals, either."

Kuroki seems to have calmed down. His tone of voice quickly turns from angry to kindness. Is this the kind of sibling relationship they have?

Ichigo "...I'm sorry I overreacted, Aniki."

Kuroki sighs and puts his hand his sister's head, ruffling her hair gently.

Kuroki "Next time you jump to conclusions, please don't bring it up in front of my friends, alright?"

Ichigo "Au..."

Now Ichigo's as red as a tomato while Kuroki has made a complete recovery. I guess it does take a lot to fluster him.

Kuroki "Can you two not spread around what you just heard, please?"

Lilly breaks down in laughter, which has never happened before. Lilly just simply laughs while nodding her head in acknowledgement."

After about three seconds, I realize something and think it aloud.

Hanako "Wait, what happened to the other six that were missing?"

Kuroki "Oh, yeah. I made water balloons with those."

Ichigo falls over. Lilly laughs even harder.

* * *

Kuroki sweatdrops as Hanako finishes reading the story.

Lilly "Well, you are a healthy young man."

Kuroki sweatdrops again.

Kuroki "Saying that doesn't help."

Pandora "You lucky dog! I can't believe you got laid that young! I was a virgin until age thirty!"

Kuroki "Too much info!"

Lilly "Condom water balloons, though. I'll try that sometime."

Hanako and Kuroki sweatdrop simultainously.

Hanako "Who's the victim going to be?"

Lilly puts a hand to her mouth and giggles slightly.

Lilly "That's a secret~!"

Hisao "Listen, now that the story is over, how about we move on?"

Kuroki "Fair enough. The next story is called "Recieved." it's read from my, and takes place in a fictional environment."

Kuroki manages to change the disk with Hanako still in his lap. After opening the story file, Hanako's entire face turns red, and she nosebleeds.

Kuroki "What's up, Hanako?"

Hanako "T-this is a sex scene!"

Kuroki slams the eject button with his fist, he pulls the disk out and looks at it.

"Vacation (+18)."

Kuroki Throws it in one of the desk drawers.

Kuroki "I'll read that later. One sec..."

Hisao "Uh, okay then."

Kuroki removes a disk from his desk labeled "Recieved." and puts it into the computer.

Kuroki "This one's a little long. Bear with me on this."

* * *

UNKNOWN DAY, -23:59:33

I wake up.

My head is foggy, and it feels like I haven't moved in forever.

Kuroki "Jesus Christ. Where the hell am I?"

Once I sit up, I notice that I'm wearing my usual black trench coat. This wouldn't be a problem, but I'm wearing a black kevlar vest over it.

Kuroki "When the hell did I put this on?"

Kenji "OooooooOOOOHHH MY _GOD_! IT'S THE FEMINIST INVASION! IT'S BEGUN!"

Oh no, god. Please help me.

Kenji wakes up seconds after I do. Apparently he was asleep a few feet away from me.

Kuroki "Kenji, think about it. Why would they give us kevlar vests if they wanted to kill us?"

I stand up. That's when I notice I'm also wearing body armor on my legs too. I have a holster hanging from underneath my left arm, and ammo hanging from underneath my right.

Kuroki "With weapons and ammo to boot? There's no way they would be stupid enough to give me a gun if they wanted to kill me."

I look more closely over Kenji. He also has a kevlar vest and a holster. But his weapon looks like a revolver, maybe a .308.

I look at my surroundings for the first time. I'm on a rooftop with endless sky in all directions. While Kenji mumbles to himself like a demetia patient, I walk over to the edge of the roof. I look over the edge of the roof. The building is impossibly tall, stretching into eternity. I remove a cartridge from one of two spare magazines and drop it off the roof. I listen carefully.

No sound?

Kuroki "That's just fucking _great_."

I walk over to Kenji, who's still muttering to himself, and draw my firearm.

It's a USP .40, but it looks slightly different. Is it even legal for me to be carrying this? It has a weird looking suppressor on the end of the barrel, presumably to reduce recoil and improve performance.

Kuroki "Kenji. Let me see your gun."

Kenji "Oh? Sure dude, go ahead."

He hands me his weapon. He does it like a person who knows about guns, pointing the barrel away from the both of us as he hands it to me.

Kuroki "Holy shit, this this is a 30-06 Contender. Nice gun."

I hand it back to him.

Kenji "I'm not good at fast strategy. What's the game plan?"

Kuroki "First, we need to find anything that will inform us of what's going on. That contender will be better for long distance shooting, so you cover my back while I push."

I point towards the doorway in front of us.

Kuroki "Sound good?"

Kenji "Good plan, I'll stick with you. I just hope Hisao didn't end up here as well."

Kuroki "Same."

I load my .40 with a full magazine and cock it. I peek through the door. A blue light flashes in my face, and I hear a very sinister "Beep!".

The blue light turns yellow and flies at me. I duck around the corner. The light flies past me.

It's not a light. It's a drone. A robot equipped with an infrared camera and a taser. It's a very lethal looking robot.

Kuroki "Kenji! Watch ou-"

A loud gunshot rings out, and the drone is blown apart mid-air.

Kenji "Huh. I can see?"

Kuroki "What are you talking about?"

Kenji "Well, I didn't wear those big ugly glasses for show. I'm supposed to be legally blind, but I can see just fine. That's nice."

Kuroki "Wait, so you -being a legally blind man- fired a weapon that can punch through kevlar?"

Kenji "I don't think I could be considered legally blind anymore. I can see just fine."

I ponder this for a moment. Never mind, I don't want to waste my brain cells figuring out something from one of my death game nightmares. At least this one didn't give me a weird massive claw hand.

Kenji steps over the remains of the taser drone. He removes the spent cartridge from his firearm and inserts a new one.

Kenji "After you."

He takes up position on the opposite side of the doorway.

Kuroki "Rikai." (Understood.)

* * *

UNKNOWN DAY, -23:28:32

Kuroki "Drone sighted. Take it down."

Kenji fires his weapon. The bullet shoots out of the barrel at 2800 Feet Per Second, punching clean through the drone's body. It falls to the ground and remains motionless.

Kenji "That's the tenth one now. How many more of these things are there?"

That's a good question. This is most certainly one of my common lucid dreams, but the others were more realistic than this. Even the weird claw hand dream made more sence than this one.

Kuroki "Considering the fact that the building is infinitely high and spands for miles in both directions, I would say there are probably more than ten."

Kenji "So you do have a sense of humor."

Kuroki "I'm not joking. And there might be more than drones."

Just as we round the corner, a dim yellow spotlight shines on us. I hear another hostile-sounding "Beep!" and the light turns red.

_Crackcrackcrackcrackcrack!_

I hear bullets zipping around me.

Kuroki "_Cover!_"

I run to the nearest conveniently placed AC unit and throw myself behind it. I heard more gunshots, and Kenji yelling at the top of his lungs. I peep out from to look.

Kenji runs to the AC unit on the opposite side of the roof, trailing blood.

Kuroki "Shit! Are you okay?!"

Kenji "I got nicked! I'm bleeding, but I'm fine! Hurts like a bitch, though!"

I take a closer look at our opponent. It looks like a light machine gun turret. I notice the motor jutting out slightly underneath the base of the turret. I take aim and fire, destroying the motor and disabling it's ability to aim. It's still operational, but the only way we'll get shot is if we walk infront of it like idiots. It's facing away from our cover, so I run over to Kenji.

Kuroki "Show me."

He grins and stretches out his right arm. There's a clean bleeding line cut across his forearm. It's hardly a serious wound at all, but I need to stop the bleeding, regardless.

Kenji "Clear?"

Kuroki "Yeah, that turret was the only thing in this area."

I stand up and grab a T-shirt from a clothesline next to us and rip it up, using the cloth to bandage Kenji's arm.

Kuroki "That's going to need surtures later. How do you think you could go for?"

Kenji "I'll be fine for a while. I'm hardly tired at all. Surpising."

Kuroki "You're right, that is strange. I just woke up and yet I don't feel hungry of thirsty at all."

Kenji "Hmm? What's this?"

Kenji reaches into his hip pouch and removes a cassette player and headphones. I immediatly check my hip pouch. There's a cassette player in here too.

Kuroki "What the hell am I supposed to do with this?"

Kenji "I dunno, dude. Maybe it'll tell us what's going on."

I plug in my headphones and slip them on. There's already an audio cassette inside the player, so I press the play button and listen.

Tapedeck "_If you are listening to this tape it means you have survived the Mind Kill. Previous attempts to listen to this tape would have found it blank, but now it contains immediate instructions of your difficult path forward. This is the time that we have prepared for. Take a moment now to find your firearm._"

Kuroki "Oh, this would have been nice to know a while ago."

Tapedeck "_Some of you will be familiar with firearms from our training camp, but more recent receivers will have focused on Mind Tech in order to survive the Mind Kill event. In either case, please take a moment to confirm that the firearm you have been issued is in working order and has one full magazine. You have also been issued one tape deck with headphones and two AA batteries. Once you have checked your equipment, leave the safe area, keep moving, and be careful. The Threat will have dreamed Killdrones near your location._"

After the tape ends, both of us frown.

Kuroki "Did you get any of that?"

Kenji "I got instructions on how to use an M1911A1. Kind of useless since I got a Contender."

I eject my cassette and hand it to Kenji. After listening to it, his frown grows more pronounced.

Kenji "This is definetly not feminists. Something else is going on here. And what the hell is 'Mind Tech'?"

Kuroki "Hell if I know. I'll take the last bit of advice on the end though. Let's keep moving."

Kenji puts away both of the cassettes and reloads his Contender. We both continue moving forward.

* * *

UNKNOWN DAY, -16:35:21

We've plowed through countless drones and turrets, and also found a few more tapes.

After finding an empty apartment, we sit down and listen to the tapes in order to get more information.

Kenji sets the volume on his tapedeck to max while I search the room for supplies. I open up the refridgerator to find three bottles of tea, two eggs, a moldy loaf of bread, and an unopened can of sardines. I grab sardines and sodas, and sit down next to Kenji. I hand him a soda and pop open the sardines.

Kuroki "It's hardly a feast, but we need the energy."

Kenji "Kanpai." (Cheers.)

We bump our bottles together and press play.

Tapedeck "_You see reality painted in shades of black, but beyond your world is another, bathed in radiant light. We have reached out to you with a warning. If you are able to hear our message, you are one of the few that we can help - we call you Receivers. The Receiver who is speaking these words was chosen because he is able to hear us with exceptional clarity. With time, you too could learn this Mind Tech, but time is not something we have. There is a threat to everyone on your planet, and they have been weakening your mind through your media, lowering your natural defenses. The coming attack is unavoidable; all we can do is prepare._"

Kuroki "That sounds grim."

Kenji chokes down another sardine.

Kenji "No kidding. It's like we're the only ones here. They are probably more people than us, but the odds of finding them are low, considering what we just heard."

Kuroki "We're probably incredibly lucky. If we hadn't been taken here together, I probably would have been electrocuted. Thanks for that, by the way."

Kenji "No problem. Next tape."

Tapedeck "_Your minds have been spied on. The rules of our world don't apply to yours, and so The Threat have made a careful study of listening to your thoughts. The Killdrones are the result of this research. When confronting a Killdrone, be mindful of their weak points. The main systems that can be damaged are the camera, weapon, motor, and batteries. On a Killdrone Turret, the batteries and the motor are in the body of the weapon. The motor is directly under the turret, and the batteries behind that, near the rear of the body enclosure. Targeting specific weak points will make sure every bullet counts._"

Kuroki "That's a good find. Now we know where the battery is."

Kenji "Next tape."

Tapedeck "_If you recently started receiving you may wonder why the training tapes are so important. Over the last several decades your media has been slowly corrupted to be used against you. By feeding your mind a constant stream of damaging ideas, your view of reality has been warped to fit into a sinister agenda. How can one tape, listened to once, possibly have an impact on the face of a lifetime of accumulated deception? It may only have the smallest effect, but even that small effect can be built on. If you to listen to that tape one hundred times, you may notice a difference in how you feel. If you listen to the tape a thousand times, you will be transformed. And if you listen to the tape a million times, you will become more than human. An awake Receiver. Listen to as many tapes as you can, listen to them as often as you can._"

Kenji "Last one."

Tapedeck "_You are listening to the first tape of the "Perpetual" set. This set of tapes represents the most critical receivings, so that future humans will have the information they will need after the MindKill. This set, when listened to sufficiently and in its entirety, has been speculated to be the minimum teachings needed to achieve an awake state. Besides this tape the tapes included in this set are: "Firearm Operation", "Initiation Tape A", "MindTech", "Reality B", "MindTech: ClearTape", "Mindkill Contingency", "Killdrones", "Repeated Listenings", "The ClearTape", and "Awake"._"

Kuroki "So there are eleven tapes in all. We have six of them so far."

Kenji "I'll hazard a guess that if we find all of them, we'll get out of here."

Kuroki "Well, let's find them, then! I have a watch that's counting down from twenty-four hours, and we've already spent eight of them."

Kenji "Wait, what? We have a time limit?"

Kuroki "Unless the clock is counting down the hours until the next episode of _Hyouka_, yes."

Kenji "I thought _Hyouka_ was only one season."

Kuroki "That was a joke."

* * *

UNKNOWN DAY, -09:16:48

We've only found one more tape so far. We listened to it, but it just a bunch of nonsense about what the Mind Kill does.

Suddenly, we hear gunfire. There's someone else here besides us?

I can tell me and Kenji are both thinking the same thing. We take of in a run towards the gunfire.

Kuroki "Hey, You alright?!"

Receiver "I'm fine! I'm just-"

We hear more gunshots, followed by the sound of two drones hitting the ground.

Receiver "I'm just pinned down! Can you give me a hand?"

Kuroki "You got it. We're coming in hot!"

I run through the doorway, bullets as the smash into the wall next to me. I hear a crack and feel a sharp pain in my shoulder. A ricochet isn't deadly, but it sure as hell feels deadly. I fire off several shots, only two of them hit the turret. A second turret opens fire, unloading death into the wall next to me as I run for cover.

Kuroki "God _DAMN_, that hurts!"

I can feel blood leaking down my left shoulder. I grit my teeth and run for the short wall the our fellow Receiver is hiding behind, firing off a few well-aimed shots as I move. I disable and extra drone, and one of the turrets is only slightly operational. I duck behind the three foot wall the Receiver is hiding behind.

Kuroki "Wait, you're from my class."

I think her name was Miura. Darkskinned, wearing the top half of the boy's uniform and missing her left hand, if I recall.

Miki "You're the _Nazonoko_ who transferred in three days ago."

I hear Kenji's 30-06 go off, followed by the sound of a turret falling over.

Kenji "Is it clear over there!?"

Kuroki "No Killdrones in sight! We're clear! I took a ricochet!"

Miura winces, looking guilty.

Miki "You gonna be okay? Sorry you took a bullet saving me."

Kenji walks over to us, holstering his weapon. I do the same.

Kuroki "It's only a ricochet. I already felt the bullet fall out. Painful though."

I sit down and Kenji starts surturing my wound.

Kuroki "I'm Makina Kuroki. This is my partner Setou Kenji. We're trying to became awake Receivers, whatever the hell that means."

Miki "Miura Miki. Former one-handed runner."

She lifts up her left hand. There's nothing wrong with it. I thought she lost her hand in an accident.

Miki "I somehow regrew my left hand after I came here. Weird, huh?"

Kenji "I was legally blind. I have perfect vision now, though."

Kuroki "Do you have any cassettes?"

Miki "I have three. None of them are the so called "ClearTape" I'v heard about, though."

Kuroki "We have seven. No ClearTape, either. The ClearTape is the only one we're missing, then."

Kengi "Let's not stay out in the open too long. We don't want to get ambushed by Killdrones."

In the end we agree to group up and look for the eleventh tape together.

* * *

UNKNOWN DAY, -04:41:23

Miki draws her weapon. The Desert Eagle .50, also know as The Hand Cannon. I stare at the weapon in awe. Miki shoots me a confused look as we walk down a hallway in another abandoned apartment.

Miki "What?"

Kuroki "You do know that the weapon you're holding can punch clean through a brick wall, right? That thing is a terrifying gun."

Miki "Really? I though the kick was to much for me."

Kuroki "Well, it does have a powerful recoil, but that thing could probably take out anything with a single solid hit."

Miki "Huh, I guess it does have an upside."

Kenji "I hear a turret motor."

We all freeze. Sure enough, I can hear the whirring of a motor, as well as several drone propellors.

Kuroki "I can hear Killdrones as well. Let's go down a floor to avoid them."

Miki "That sounds good."

I take point, Miki is my backup, and Kenji is the birdman.

We walk in absolute silence. The killdrones are sound sensitive, as well, so we have to remain as quiet as possible. I peek around the doorway at the bottom of the stairs. I give the thumbs up, and we move into the next hallway. I check ever room as we pass by. I'm getting this strange feeling. It's as if I can tell the last tape is near, only inches from my grasp.

Then I hear it. A fully automatic weapon that sounds different from the turrets. I can hear drones dropping to the floor like flys. We run the sound of the gunshots and find...

Kenji "Nakai!"

Hisao is dropping drone after drone with deadly precision. He walks towards us while he finishes off the last three drones with his MP7. He hooks his machine pistol to his belt and walks towards me, reaching into his hip pouch. His eyes... have a sharpness too them. Like the eyes of a person who has their mind devoted solely to their objective.

He removes his tapedeck and stands in front of me. He presses the play button and hands me the tapedeck.

Hisao "I'm awake. I have to help the other Receivers achieve awakening. Good luck, you guys."

With a cheerful salute, he turns around just as thirteen more Killdrones flood the room. I can hear a whisper from the tapedeck. The whisper slowly grows louder and louder, speaking clearly and firmly.

Sender "Wake up."

-00:00:03

-00:00:02

-00:00:01

I can feel my mouth moving.

I open it and speak clearly.

Kuroki "Received."

* * *

Pandora applauds loudly onstage

Pandora "That was fantastic! Or at least I think so. What do you guys think?"

Lilly "It was a little confusing during the action parts, but it's a good story. Very entertaining."

Hanako "That was a fun read."

Kuroki "I had fun writing it. It's based off of a lucid dream I had after playing "Receiver"."

Hisao "I do remember having a dream where I listened to this tape I found over and over..."

Kuroki "That's a coincidence."

Kuroki ejects the disk and puts it back in it's case.

Kuroki "Alright, It's time for Q&amp;A!"

Pandora "Let's see what questions people asked."

Kuroki opens up his fanfiction page and searches his inbox and reviews.

Kuroki "..."

Pandora "What's going on?"

Kuroki simply closes his laptop and reaches into his desk. He pulls out a remote of some kind and stands on his desk.

Kuroki "There are..."

Hisao "Kuroki, what's the matter?"

Kuroki presses the button and sings at the top of his lungs as confetti and lights fly all over the stage.

Kuroki "There are _no questions to answeeeer_! Yaaaaaaaay!"

Hisao drops his clipboard as Kuroki dances happily.

Hisao "Why are you happy about that!?"

Pandora "Because he got tired after reading that last story and wanted to end The Something Show ASAP. Even if there were and questions, he probably would have ended it anyway."

Kuroki "Anyway! If you enjoy my work, please follow and like my fan fiction! I appreciate any and all constructive criticism, so be sure to review as well! Have a nice day!"

The curtain that was on the floor has somehow magically appeared on the lift, and begins to lower.

Suddenly, Pandora's Box bursts through the curtains.

Pandora "If you guys don't review, you'll seriously discourage this guy! Even if it's out of pity, please leave a revie-"

The sentence is interrupted by the curtain catching fire and falling on Pandora.

Kuroki "Be quiet, you. I don't want their pity, I want their honest opinions."

Kuroki "With that, have a nice day. I'll try to release another chapter next week! Let me know if I should do another chapter like this someday."

* * *

I hope you enjoyed the stupid nonsense I wrote in my free time, I'll release a chapter of Kuroki's story next week.


	14. Act II, Part III

**Hey, guys. Sorry I'm a little late releasing this chapter. I had some clean to do because some family friends are coming to visit.**

**Unfortunately, they were supposed to arrived monday, but the youngest brother of the family (and my best friend) got into an accident and now has a back full of gravel (poor guy). So the trip will be delayed until next week. I'll probably not be writing for a while after releasing this chapter.**

**This chapter is also the longest. I was really able to concentrate this time.**

* * *

Monday, 18:00

**BGM: Air Guitar**

Miko "It's so hot out here."

Miko undoes a button on her shirt and fans herself.

Kuroki "I agree."

Ichigo "You two just aren't good with heat. It's only 22 degrees." (Keep in mind that this is Celsius and not Fahrenheit. 22c is equivalent to around 70f.)

Kuroki "You haven't lived in scotland before, have you?"

Ichigo "No, I haven't."

Kuroki "The warmest it gets there is an average 19 degrees. It can get as low at average is 5 degrees." (19c is 66f, and 5c is 41f. That's pretty damn cold, right?)

Ichigo "Uwaaaaa... That's damn cold."

Kuroki "I prefer the wintertime here, to be honest. It's more comfortable for me."

Ichigo "But Miko-nee, you've lived in Japan all your life. Why are you complaining about heat?"

Miko "I dunno. It just feels really hot to me right now. Even after I drank a large glass of cold tea, I'm still uncomfortable."

We're on the patio of the Makina vacation home. My father is going to be busy for most of the month, so I'm free to do as I please. I wonder how angry he'd get if he learned I brought my girlfriend. I grab the spray bottle next to me put on the mist setting. I spray myself in the face with it. The cool mist feels good. I hand the bottle to Miko, who does the same.

Ichigo "Hey Miko-nee, come inside for a minute, I want to talk to you real quick."

Miko "Well, Senpai, I'll be going inside. Don't cook yourself, alright?"

Kuroki "Okay. But remember that you can just call me by name. It feels awkward to hear you call me "Senpai" when we've been going out for this long."

Miko blushes.

Miko "Okay, Kuroki. Seriously though, watch out for heatstroke."

I smile back.

Kuroki "I'll be in soon."

**BGM: Off**

* * *

18:15

Riku "I can't believe you actually got heat exaustion. It's only around 22 degrees."

Kuroki "I'm sorry, Mom. I'm just not built for warm weather. I'm an icecube."

I passed out on the patio while Miko and Ichigo were talking. I'm laying ontop of my bed in my shorts and T-shirt with a cold towel on my forehead.

My mother orders me to stay indoors for the rest of the day, and leaves a sports drink on the nightstand for me. I snatch it up and down half of it in one go.

Miko "Kuroki?"

I hear Miko's voice on the other side of my room door.

Kuroki "It's unlocked."

**BGM: Rainbrops and Puddles**

Miko enter the room, closing the door behind her. She walks over and pulls up a chair next to my bed before sitting down in it.

Kuroki "Sorry for making you worry about me like this."

Miko "It's not your fault. You really need to stop that habit of beating yourself up over little things like this."

She reaches out a hand and lays it on my cheek.

It's cold, but comfortable.

I close my eyes and enjoy the feeling of Miko stroaking my cheek with her soft hand.

Kuroki "That feels nice."

Miko gently takes my left hand with her free one and entwines our fingers.

Kuroki "I guess I'm a real sucker for girls with cold hands."

Miko "Way to ruin the moment, Kuroki."

I grin at her, despite my weary state. It must've looked pretty forced, because she frowns.

Miko "Don't strain yourself. Just relax."

Kuroki "_Hai, hai._"

I close my eyes again. Before long, I'm drifting off to sleep with Miko gently touching my face.

* * *

22:25

**BGM: Nocturne**

I open my eyes. The curtains are open wide, bathing the room with moonlight.

Kuroki "Come to think of it, it's a full moon tonight."

I'm about to sit up, but there's a weight on my shoulder. I look over to my left. Miko apparently fell asleep. That much isn't surprising, but what is surprising is that she's... well... in bed with me. We're cuddling. I'm not one for warmth, but the heat that her body gives off is very comforting, somehow.

I carefully sit up, so as not to disturb Miko. I gently lay the sheets over her and walk out the door quietly.

As I walk downstairs, my stomach rumbles. The light is on donwstairs, so Mom must still be up. I can hear voices coming from the TV.

Riku "Hmm? Kucchan? Are you feeling better?"

Kuroki "Yeah, I am. Thanks for the sports drink, it helped a lot."

Riku "It was mostly Miko. You should have seen her. She skipped supper so that she could take care of you."

Kuroki "I'll be sure to thank her when she wakes up."

Riku "_Ara, ara._ Did she fall asleep? How long did you watch her before you came down here for food?"

Kuroki "Very funny. I'll watch her after I eat. She'll still be there."

Riku "Did she fall asleep in your room?"

Kuroki "Yes, actually. It entirely defeats the purpose of Ichigo sharing a bed with her."

My mother giggles at me. I ignore her and head into the kitchen. I set a cup ramen on the counter top. I'm reaching for the kettle when I hear an object zip through the air.

_Whack!_

Kuroki "_Au!_"

**BGM: Hokabi**

Riku "Didn't Miko tell you to stop eating those every day?"

I rub my nose and shoot her a glare.

Kuroki "This is the first cupra I've had for three days."

Riku "I couldn't care less if it was the first one you've had in three centuries. Miko asked you to stop. She cares, not me."

My glare softens.

Kuroki "That's not fair, Mom. You need to stop using her against me like that."

I mock-complain about it, but I'm actually happy she stopped me. She didn't have to throw stuff at me though. I put away the cup ramen and pull out the left-over salad from yesterday's lunch. After I finish eating, I begin to walk out of the room again when I hear something else zip through the air.

This time, though. I pluck the object out of the air.

Kuroki "You know that Ishi got her aim from you, right?"

Riku "I didn't throw it at you. I threw it to you."

I look at the package.

Kuroki "Hey. Mom... What is this?"

I can tell that venom is dripping into my voice. Of course, it's reasonable.

Riku "I thought that Heterochromia didn't effect eyesight. You can read, right?"

Kuroki "Yes, I can read. I want to know why you gave me a box of twenty premium condoms."

Riku "You and Miko are a couple, aren't you? I can't stop you from having sex, but I can stop you from putting a bun in her oven."

Kuroki "We haven't had sex."

My mother drops the TV remote, looking absolutely stunned.

Riku "You're telling me that you two have been going out for a year... _and you haven't had sex yet!?_"

Kuroki "Not so loud, geez. You know I can't make the first move, right?"

She sighs, looking extremely exasperated.

Riku "I swear... you're too much of a gentleman for your own good. At least stick them in the night stand."

Kuroki "You do know I'll just end up using these as water balloons, right?"

Riku "Those are expensive. Use them for what they are meant for."

Kuroki "Only if she asks me to."

**BGM: Afternoon**

I walk up the stairs. I gently open my room door and toss the box into the nightstand. I lay back down next to Miko and close my eyes.

I can't sleep.

All of a sudden, I hear a stomach growling. I just ate, so it must be Miko. My suspicion is confirmed in a few seconds when Miko sits up.

Kuroki "Good evening."

Miko jumps at the sound of my voice, nearly falling off the bed.

Miko "Don't scare me like that. What time is it?"

Kuroki "A quarter past eleven."

Miko "How are you feeling now?"

Kuroki "I'm better now. Thank you for taking care of me, Miko."

Her stomach growls again.

Kuroki "But don't put off eating just to take care of me, alright?"

Miko blushes and whacks me in the face with a pillow.

Kuroki "I'm a sucker for violent ones, too, I guess."

She pouts at me again.

Miko "Meanie. I'm going to eat supper. I'll be up to check on you in a little while, okay?"

Kuroki "_Hai, Hai._"

I lay back on my bed as Miko exits the room. I still can't sleep. Insomnia is common for me. I roll around in my bed, trying in vain to find sleep.

_She isn't here. That's why you can't sleep._

Kuroki "This loneliness is normal, right?"

* * *

**This next scene is a bit suggestive. Viewer discretion advised.**

* * *

23:30

Miko enters my room again. For some reason, she seems nervous. I don't know why, because we've slept in the same bed before.

Miko "H-hey, are you awake?"

Kuroki "Wide awake. Did something happen? You're acting weird."

Miko "N-nothing really."

I sigh, she's clearly hiding something. I can tell I won't get anything out of her even if I ask, so I just look back up at the cieling, closing my eyes and hoping I'll somehow fall asleep.

Kuroki "I see."

I sluggishly scoot over to allow Miko more room.

I close my eyes once again, but I feel a sudden weight on my stomach. Miko has, apparently straddled me.

Kuroki "What are you doing, Miko?"

She doesn't respond so I look downwards to see what she's doing. My words catch in my throat.

**BGM: Letting my Heart Speak**

She's not wearing her nightgown anymore. Instead, she's wearing black lace underwear. Her snowy skin almost seems to glow in the moonlight.

Miko "How does it... look?"

I'm absolutely at a loss for words. We just make silent eye contact for the next twenty seconds. After what seems like forever, my brain finally manages to reboot itself.

Kuroki "I'm speechless. You're beautiful."

She give a nervous laugh and leans down to kiss me. The softness of her lips makes my mind blank out once again. Her hair smells like vanilla. I feel her running a hand through my hair once she breaks off. I can feel my cheeks heating up slightly as I slowly become more aroused.

Kuroki "What are planning, Miko?"

Miko "We've been going out for a year, Kuroki. Isn't it obvious?"

Kuroki "Are you sure you're ready for-"

She interrupts my objection by placing her lips on mine again. This time, she slowly inserts her tongue passionately. I accept her invitation and gently entangle her tongue with my own. Her saliva is sweet, and tastes of fruit. After a full minute passes, we break the kiss, leaving a trail of sticky-sweet saliva between our lips.

Miko "If I wasn't, would I be doing this in the first place?"

She has a point there. But she's gotten really bold all of a sudden, which is strange. I hope my mother didn't put any strange ideas in her head. I ask her once more.

Kuroki "Are you comfortable with this?"

Miko nods.

Kuroki "Okay, then."

I sit up and gently run my hand through her hair as I kiss her. Miko takes my free hand and places it against her breast.

* * *

Tuesday, 00:55

**BGM: Aria de I'Etoile**

I lay down next to Miko, tenderly holding her in my arms as she lays her head on my shoulder.

Kuroki "Are you alright?"

Miko "It only hurt a little bit. But it was amazing, even if it was a little clumsy."

I can tell she's teasing me when she says that.

Kuroki "Sorry, I didn't have any experience before today."

Miko "That's alright. I'm just happy I took Riku's advice."

Kuroki "I knew it. She put you up to this."

Miko "She said you were self-conscious about being a self proclaimed "good for nothing", and that I would have to be forceful if I wanted you to make a move."

Kuroki "Looks like I'm not the one wearing the pants in this relationship anymore."

Miko "Only in the bedroom."

I pause.

Kuroki "You frighten me sometimes, Miko."

She giggles and tightens her embrace, enveloping my arm with the softness of her skin. Our clothes are carelessly tossed aside, littering the floor. As Miko drifts off, she whispers into my ear.

Miko "I love you, Kuroki."

After she falls asleep, I press my lips to her forehead.

Kuroki "I love you too."

I find sleep a few seconds later.

**BGM: Off**

* * *

Two years later (Present), Tuesday, 05:30

I open my eyes gently. That was the first time I dreamed about Miko in a long time. I slowly rise from my bed. I look around my empty room. Sleeping here is probably what triggered the dream, which is precisely why I didn't want to move back to my vacation home. I can vaguely recall my first stay here, but that's something I don't want to think about.

**BGM: Fripperies**

I feel refreshed, which is extremely rare, so I swing my legs out of bed and get dressed. It takes me a moment to remember why I moved back here to begin with.

Someone had broken into my dorm room, stolen everything related to Black Key's writer, and left a laughably generic blackmail note. After collecting the bare essentials from my dorm room, Ichigo came and picked me up in her automobile. I say automobile because that's what it is. Apparently Ichigo is aiming to be an engineer/mechanic, because Akira told me that Ichigo built the thing herself. It caught quite a few eyes when she pulled up to the front gate. Someone even asked to take a picture of it.

I pull on my uniform and straighten my tie, glancing in the mirror to confirm that it is, in fact tied correctly. I grab my schoolbag and put the necessary textbooks in their place before hanging it over my shoulder and walking out the door. I walk down the staircase to the first floor, nearly tripping over some fuzzy white colored thing.

Fox "Kon!"

Kuroki "...Eh?"

At the foot of the stairs rests a white fox. We stare at each other for about five seconds.

Kuroki "Hello."

Fox "Woo woo."

The fox purrs quietly and goes back to sleep. I step over him quietly so that I don't bother his beauty sleep. I walk straight through the hall and into the kitchen, where Ichigo wobbles in her chair.

Ichigo "Goooooooo... moooring."

Kuroki "Good morning."

I walk over to the refrigerator and pull out a salad. I cut open an avocado and add it to the salad with some dressing. I sit opposite from Ichigo as she visibly sways from sleepiness. As she sits wobbling, an idea pops into my head.

**MISSION START**

**BGM: High Tension**

As soon as my sister faceplants next to her oatmeal, I stand up quietly. With the stealth of a panther, I stalk over to the pantry and remove a cup ramen.

Just a little further...

I quietly fill the kettle with warm water. This will hopefully make is heat faster. I set the kettle on the stove without so much at a sound, and turn the stove on to medium.

I've done this before, but Ichigo hasn't had me around her in a while, so she's probably lowered her guard over the past year. The water simmers with a barely audable noise, signalling the approach of victory.

**BGM: Hokobi**

My heart sinks at I hear the sound of an object flying through the air, most likely aimed at me.

_Whack!_

Kuroki "_Au!_"

As usual, the small pebble hits me right in the nose. I cry out in pain.

Ichigo "Sorry about that. I guess I've been too complacent."

Ichigo is now fully alert and twirling two more pebbles between her fingers.

I curse in english and put away the cupra.

Foiled.

**MISSION FAILED**

Ichigo "You haven't been eating cupra this whole time, have you?"

My mind flashes back to the morning that I ate two cupra. I had quite a bit. But I did eat other things later.

Kuroki "I did eat cupra, but I balanced it out with other things. Salad and rice, you know. Things like that."

_Whack!_

Kuroki "_Au!__ Yamero!_"

Ichigo "You need to stop eating it everyday. I don't mind if you have it every once in a while, but one a day is too much."

I sigh. She's overreacting like always. She's always had that bad habit of jumping to conclusions.

I start carrying dishes to the sink.

Kuroki "You need to stop jumping the gun on stuff like that. You'll end up embarrassing yourself, Ishi."

Ichigo "_Hai, Hai_. Say what you like, that'll never happen."

I smirk, knowing full well that she's already done it before. I wash up my breakfast dishes after packing my lunch box. While I busy myself with cleaning, Ichigo stands up from her chair.

Ichigo "I heard that you received a confession yesterday."

Kuroki "Where did you hear-"

**BGM: Off**

As I turn my head to look at Ichigo, I accidentally jam my left hand against something sharp in the sink. I pull my hand out to find a bleeding red line running from between my ring and index finger to my wrist.

Kuroki "Go grab the first aid kit."

Ichigo gives me an apologetic look before running to the first floor bathroom for bandages and disinfectant.

* * *

06:00

I twist the throttle, giving the small engine enough gas to push up the hill at a steady speed. I pull up in front of the school riding my motorcycle. It's a modified black motorcycle with the ability to reach speeds of 275 kilometers an hour. Of course, that's what Ichigo the self proclaimed "Super Engineer" said, but there no way in hell I'm going to test that theory anytime soon. After parking my motorcycle and chaining it to a bike rack just inside the gate, I make my way to the staff room.

**BGM: Ease**

As I walk in, several teachers glue their eyes to me, probably because I'm supposed to have the day off due to the break-in. I walk up to the teacher closest to the door.

Kuroki "Sawatori Haruka-sensei?"

Haruka "That's correct. But I teach second year classes. What does the mysterious third year transfer student need me for?"

Kuroki "Actually, I'm looking for Mutou-sensei. Could you tell me where he is?"

Haruka "Mutou said that he would be in homeroom early today. Is there a chance that your request for him has something to do with the break-in at the boys' dormitories last night?"

Kuroki "Yes. News travels fast, I guess. While I'm here, could you tell me who the adviser for the newspaper club is?"

Haruka "That would be me. You would like the newspaper club to refrain from publishing any stories related to the break-in, correct?"

I recoil in mock terror.

Kuroki "Did you read my mind?"

Haruka "Don't worry, I've already asked them not to publish anything related to that. By the way, you should look at the article that Tobioka-kun wrote about you. It's a decent read."

She hands me the morning paper.

Haruka "But regardless, this school has an industrial strength rumor mill. Even all of the first year students know about it."

I grimace. This school is starting to seem more normal than I wanted it to be. Oh well.

Kuroki "Thank you, Haruka-sensei."

She gives her own farewell as I walk out the door. I make my way to the third floor while reading the school newspaper.

* * *

06:05

I walk into the classroom from the front door. This time I'm wearing my eyepatch. I feel several people affix their eyes on me as I walk to Mutou's desk and speak to him.

Kuroki "Mutou-sensei, could I talk to you in the hallway for a minute?"

He nods and stands up from his chair, walking out into the hallway.

Mutou "I'm assuming this is about the break-in?"

I nod once. He motions for me to follow him further away from the classroom so that we don't get overheard. He speaks in a hushed tone.

Mutou "You're supposed to be moving your belongings. That's why I gave you the day off."

Kuroki "I know. I came to ask a favor."

Mutou tilts his head, looking confused.

After explain my plan to him, he nods.

Mutou "All right, I can't very well turn down one of my best students when they're asking for help."

Kuroki "Thank you, Mutou-sensei."

Before I can turn to leave, he stops me.

Mutou "What happened to your hand?"

Kuroki "I cut it on a knife while cleaning dishes this morning. It's been cleaned and tended to, so don't worry about it. This amount of pain is nothing to me."

I leave the main building and head for the dorm building.

**BGM: Off**

* * *

11:20

I arrive at room 118, but the door has been replaced by a curtain until repairs have been made. Not stopping for a heartbeat, I throw the curtain aside and walk into my room. I grab the empty grey duffle I tossed aside the night before and put all of my books inside.

Let's see... Harry Potter volumes 1-7, Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker, The Same Kind: Chapters 01-10, Leepike ridge, Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer...

I list my books mentally as I put them into the bag one by one. Finally, I come across a small suitcase roughly the size of one of the school's bigger english textbooks. I flick open the combination lock with practiced muscle memory, give the contents a once over, then close it again and relock it. I carelessly toss the shock proof case into my duffle and zip it shut. I throw the duffle bag over my shoulder as I walk out of the room.

* * *

13:20

**BGM: Caged Heart**

I've been waiting here for the past thirty minutes, but they show no signs of showing. A quick glance at my wristwatch confirms that it is, in fact, five after one. After running back to my house and dropping my cargo off, I came back to meet my blackmailer. The lunch break here lasts a half hour longer than most other schools, but that's no excuse to be late for a meeting, especially since they're the ones who arranged it. Given the circumstances, I can't really complain about it since they have my belongings. I consider pulling out my cellular to kill some time, but I'm interrupted by the sound of a twig snapping in the bushes nearby.

Kuroki "Come out of there."

A boy about Ken's age steps out of the bushes. He has short brown hair and amber eyes. He's eyeing me like a businessman eyes a check.

* * *

13:20

**BGM: Stride**

I slowly approach the young man silently, so as to not alert him. He really did show, didn't he? I have the papers and letter hidden away in backpack, but I never intended to hand them over. I only put them in my bag because I couldn't just leave them around for my family to find. I continue my quiet approach through the bushes, I see him going for his cell phone. He's been waiting here for twenty minutes, so it's only natural he'd be bored.

_Crack._

I make a fatal mistake by stepping on a twig.

His eye instantly start scanning the nearby hedges. This wouldn't usually bother me, as I've done this work before, but there an unsettling look in his eye. His gaze isn't that of a deer watching for predators. There's a cold sharpness to his eye, much like the glare of a cat stalking it's prey. He locks eyes with me in a matter of seconds.

Kuroki "Soko kara dete kimasu."

_Come out of there._

I heard his voice while he was in the Shanghai speaking with his friends. But the tone he's speaking is far different, almost sounding like the tone of another personall together. He has a barely detectable accent, and the way he speaks is as if he learned straight from a textbook. It sounds much like a text to speech program, a voice without any emotion at all.

I step out of the bushes and show myself.

Kuroki "I'll admit, you did an excellent job of sneaking up on me. So, why are you here?"

His eyes lock onto my backpack. This guy is definitely Kurotori, but what do I do now? This guy sounds and looks more hostile than I thought he would.

Kazuki "My name is Mikado Kazuki. I'm here to get an interview from you."

He stares into my eyes with his one brown eye. A very menacing stare.

Kazuki "W-what?"

Kuroki "I already gave an interview for the newspaper club. In fact, I asked them to interview me. Ken was the one who wrote the article, no?"

He reaches into his coat and pulls out the school newspaper, showing me the headline.

**The Yamaku Paperboy**

Tuesday, April 29th.

**Mysterious boy is not!** -_Tobioka Ken_

_Monday afternoon, myself and a few other people accompanied Makina Kuroki to the Shanghai._

_During the entire interview, Kuroki's behaviour could be considered that of a normal student, rather than a_

_mysterious transfer students. Although his personality is slightly unusual for a student his age. He has an_

_addiction to cupra, and seems to always be bluntly honest with everyone he talks to, which can be both_

_nice and not so nice at times. He says that if you want to ask him something, you can ask him in person_

_if you wish. He described his favorite company as "A generic nice guy", "A slightly childish mother figure",_

_and "A shy bookworm with an affinity for war strategy". His favorite company being Nakai Hisao of class 3-3,_

_Satou Lilly of class 3-2, and Ikezawa Hanako of class 3-3, respectively. Ikezawa Hanako has been known as_

_a very shy girl, and yet Makina Kuroki managed to befriend her on his first day here. "As far as I can tell, he's_

_hardly different from anyone else. There are things he doesn't want to tell some people, and things he wants to_

_keep to himself altogether. I don't blame him for that, because I have things like that as well. Everyone does."_

_Said Tori Kenway, class 1-4. Upon making this statement, Nearly everyone at the table agreed._

Continue reading on page 10

Kuroki "Looks like he beat you to it."

I shrug off his attempt to provoke me.

Kazuki "Ken might be the first to interview Makina Kuroki, but I'm going to be the first to interview _the_ Kurotori in person."

Kuroki snorts, smirking at me.

Kuroki "So you are the blackmailer. Unfortunately for you, Kuroki and Kurotori are one and the same. The only difference is the name. So in a way, Ken interviewed Kurotori first."

Kazuki "The only ones who know that are you and me though. If I interview someone by the name Kotomi Kurotori, the school will be all over it. Besides, I made copies of the letter and the manuscript anyway. Even if you take the originals from me, I can still expose you."

He stares at me, looking extremely exasperated. He sighs and looks up at the sky, muttering a prayer to god under his breath.

Kuroki "Who said I cared about being exposed?"

Kazuki "What do you mean?"

Kuroki "Listen, I don't really give a damn if the world knows I'm Kurotori anymore. What I want is my stuff. That letter is more important to me than some silly secret, and I would like to have it back along with my notebook and manuscript. I don't care if you have copies, I only want the originals."

Did his tongue slip? He just told me how to blackmail him further.

Kazuki "How does that change anything? I have the originals with me."

Mutou "So it seems. A rather poor decision on your part."

I whirl around to the new voice. It's one of the third year teachers.

Mutou "I would rather you handed Kuroki-kun's belongings to him right now. I don't want the authorities involved."

Kazuki "Authorities?"

I can feel fear creeping into my voice against my will.

Kuroki "Damage to school property, damage to personal property, blackmail, burglary... These are just things I'm pulling from the top of my head. I don't think you'll get off easy if the police get involved."

Kazuki "Che!"

I click my tongue in frustration. They have me surrounded. Mutou is athletic enough to catch me right away, even if I had both lungs. I don't know what Kuroki's disability is, though. It's a gamble, but I might be able to get away if I try to run past Kuroki.

* * *

13:25

Kazuki is clearly thinking of running past me to get away. He's making a mistake by choosing me. If he chose Mutou, he'd be much more likely to escape.

He bolts to my right. I sidestep and hold out my right arm.

_Whack!_

**BGM: Hokobi**

Clotheslined. He's looking up at the sky, not quite sure what just happened.

I sigh. This isn't what I wanted to do. I really don't like hitting people.

Kuroki "Look, Kazuki, was it? I don't care if you have copies. I don't care if you expose me. I don't care. I only want my belongings back."

He blinks a few times. I hold a hand out to him, he takes it and pulls himself up. He hands me his backpack.

Kazuki "Everything is in there. Are you alright with this?"

Kuroki "I would have liked to end it without hitting you, but I'll take what I can get."

Kazuki "Understood."

He simply walks away without another word. I check the backpack, and sure enough, all of my once missing possessions are in here.

I turn to Mutou.

Kuroki "Thank you. I really mean it."

Mutou "You do know that you'll be a celebrity in Yamaku, and possibly the around world, right?"

I grin. It's a full blown grin, the kind I haven't shown in a long time.

Kuroki "I'm ready. I just hope my friends back at home are ready to have their minds blown."

Mutou chuckles and grins back. Strangely, that grin fits him.

BGM: Afternoon

I walk to my motorcycle and throw Kazuki's backpack over my shoulder.

Hanako "Kuroki?"

I turn to face the familiar voice.

Kuroki "Hello, Hanako. What do you need?"

Hanako "W-well, Lilly said that Akira is going to take us to visit your h-house. She wanted to know i-if you needed us to help carry luggage."

I look back in the direction of the dorm. There are a few things...

Kuroki "If it isn't a bother, I'll take you up on that offer. What about class?"

Hanako flinches at the mention of class.

Hanako "L-lilly said she would be fine if she missed afternoon classes."

Kuroki "What about you, though?"

She flinches again. I give her a devilish grin.

Kuroki "You've skipped class before, haven't you?"

She blushes and starts stuttering. I feel bad for teasing her, so I change the subject.

Kuroki "When are you guys visiting? I haven't unpacked yet, so I might have to do some cleaning first."

A familiar black SUV pulls up in front of the school gate. Akira sticks her head out the side window and shouts at me.

Akira "Yo Kuroki! Load up your stuff, we're going to your house in a few minutes."

* * *

17:20

It ends up taking a few hours to pack everything up. Hanako sits in the back seat and buckles her self. Lilly has remained in the passenger seat the entire time since she felt like she would get in the way.

Akira "Drive safe, okay?"

Kuroki "_Hai_, Aki-nee. You too."

The car pulls away as I walk to my motorcycle. I pull on my helmet and start up the engine after unchaining it. I drive out of the school gates and head home, quickly catching up to Akira.

* * *

17:30

I pull into the driveway next to Akira's car. I remove my helmet and gloves and put them in the motorcycles storage box.

Hanako "T-this house is actually pretty big..."

Kuroki "Yeah, It's kinda creepy to live in it alone, so Ichigo wanted me to move in with her."

It really is a frightening house at night if there's nobody else around.

Kuroki "You can just set those on the doorstep. You two go on ahead. If you follow the hallway, the first door on the left is the kitchen. Ichigo should have snacks prepared."

Lilly "That's very kind of you two. Hanako, could you guide me, please? I left my cane in the car, and it seems Akira has already left."

Hanako "Okay, Lilly."

Hanako guides Lilly to the kitchen after setting my box of books on the doorstep. I follow after doing the same. When I reach the kitchen, Hanako is reading a note left on the counter by Ichigo.

Hanako "Dear Aniki, these are not to be eaten until unpacking is done. Any guest you bring may have some, though."

I sigh. She does know I won't eat until afterwards, right?

Kuroki "She really knows how to screw with me. Oh well, I was planning on eating after I've finished."

* * *

19:00

**BGM: Nocturne**

As I shelf the last of my books, my mind wanders back to what happened during the lunch break. What spurred Kazuki into breaking into a dorm room? Was it a coincidence? Did he stumble upon my hidden identity by accident? The questions swirl through my head, remaining unanswered. I realize that now is probably the best time to let everyone here know. What's up with me, though? Up until a while ago, I wanted to keep my alias hidden for the rest of my life. Now I hardly give a damn about hiding it at all. It's probably because my father is now in prison, and has no method to control me now. He would have forced me to take classes. Writing is supposed to be something that comes naturally, not something to be forced. Is that it? Did I want to protect Miko? If I keep thinking like this, I'll just end up finding more questions without answers. I empty my mind and bring Kazuki's backpack with me as I walk down the stairs.

Fox "Oh?"

Kuroki "Hello."

I bend over and rub the fox's head.

Fox "Kon kon!"

Kuroki "Come to think of it, where did this guy come from?"

Fox "[For est! Be hind! Ho! Ho! Home!]"

I drop the backpack out of sheer shock. Why english?

Fox "Kon!"

Kuroki "[Right. Just walk away, Kuroki. You have more important things to think about right now.]"

I pick the backpack up again and walk into the dining room. Ichigo and Lilly are speaking in english while Hanako looks like she understands the conversation. I guess some people have an affinity for learning languages. It's a pity I'm not one of them. I sit down at the table and unzip my backpack.

Everyone stares at me, save for Lilly, at I dump the contents onto the tabletop.

Ichigo "[What's this?]"

She's still speaking in english when she asks. I pick up the letter and hand it to her.

Kuroki "[Read it out loud.]"

Hanako "[What's going on?]"

Hanako's pronunciation could use a tiny bit of work, but her question is still easy to understand.

Ichigo "[Dear Kurok-]"

Kuroki "In the language it's written in. Don't stop until you've finished."

Ichigo "Oh, sorry. Dear Kuroki..."

My sister reads the letter out loud to everyone at the table. Lilly's reaction is similar to a person who's been slapped in the face. Hanako just stares at the letter. Ichigo looks like she's hardly been affected at all.

Ichigo "And this is belongs to you as well?"

She holds up the manuscript.

Kuroki "Yes. Although I'm sure that I didn't write it upside-down."

Lilly giggles at my poorly timed joke. Although it wasn't all that funny.

After staring at me for about thirty seconds, Ichigo bursts out laughing, prompting me to chop her over the head.

**BGM: Hokobi**

_Whack!_

Despite being whacked over the head, Ichigo still laughs. I just stare at her in disbelief.

Kuroki "I don't get it. Is this an in joke or something?"

After stopping to take several deep breaths, Ichigo calms down enough to tell me.

Ichigo "It just seemed so obvious that it's funny. That's all."

Lilly goes into a giggling fit this time, despite her attempts to stifle it.

Kuroki "Haaa... So this isn't surprising to you at all?"

Ichigo "Not really. I knew you were a writer already, but I didn't think that you were the one who wrote Black Key."

Kuroki "Actually, It's a lot easier to deal with the aftermath since you guys aren't surprised."

Lilly "Don't be mistaken. I'm quite surprised. I'm sure that Hanako is too, since she hasn't spoken for the past minute."

Everyone turns to face Hanako. She's looking at the back cover of my copy of Black Key.

Hanako "Then... this signature is your own?"

**BGM: Stride**

I flinch. That was an autograph I wrote to myself during the abuse I was suffering from my father.

Kuroki "Yes. It is."

Ichigo furrows her brow after reading it.

Ichigo "How long ago did you write this autograph?"

Kuroki "Eighteen months ago. Six months after Black Key was published."

Ichigo "I... See. That would explain a lot..."

Ichigo is one of the few people who know about my abusive perfectionist father. Akira and my mother, Riku, are the only others who know. Ichigo gives me a look.

_"Want me to tell them?"_

I nod.

Ichigo "As you both know, my and Aniki aren't blood related. My mother married Kuroki's father, Makina Moroha, which makes us step-siblings."

Lilly furrows her brow, and Hanako is staring at me intently.

Kuroki "During and before the marriage, Moroha was a perfectionist. You see, he was the CEO of a growing corporation, and he wanted me to take over after he was gone. Day after day, I would return home from school for tutoring and lessons. If I made a single mistake during any of these lessons... I would be severely punished."

The table is silent. I take another breath and continue.

Kuroki "After my mother, Riku, learned about my abuse through Ishi, she started gathering evidence against my father. They only got divorced after my latest accident."

Lilly "I see. Well, that explains a lot."

Kuroki "The only good thing I got out of that tutoring was the skill to play piano, violin, and kokyu. Everything else was awful, but at least I can get straight A's on every subject. I started writing as a way to escape it all. I was finishing my last year of middle school, I met someone. Her name was Miyamoto Miko. She was about the nosiest girl on the planet, but she was kind and understanding. I ended up confessing to her."

Hanako inhales sharply.

Kuroki "I'm not comfortable with just saying this, but I have to throw it out there to avoid any confusion. Miko passed away last year."

The table is dead silent. Looking back on it, I'm surprised I got Narcolepsy instead of PTSD.

**BGM: Hokobi**

Kuroki "That's pretty much the extent I'm comfortable with telling you guys. I'm alright with you guys telling someone if they ask about me. Congratulations, you're very trustworthy people. Except you, Ishi."

Ichigi "_Ehhh?!_"

The mood instantly changes from gloomy to bright.

Hanako and Lilly have a laugh at Ichigo's expense. Looking closely, neither of them have let my secret effect the way they treat me. I'll have to thank them for that later.

I guess I was worried for nothing. We continue to chat away the evening.

**BGM: Off**

In the back of my mind though, there's this nagging voice telling me that something bad will happen soon. I shake it off and hope that it's nothing.

* * *

**There you have it. My longest chapter to date. I'll try to write the next one as long as this if I can concentrate properly.**

**By the way, I apparently lied a few chapters ago. There will be more choices. Have fun.**


	15. Act II, Part IV

Act II, Part IV

23:20

**BGM: Nocturne**

I'm lying on my bed. I have no idea what to do.

My life as Makina Kuroki is going to hell tomorrow. Starting tomorrow I'm most likely going to be called Kotomi Kurotori all day long, every day. Jesus Christ, that sounds annoying. Of course I was lying when I said I didn't give a damn about giving my secret out. At the time, the stolen items themselves were more important than the threat of exposure.

Thinking on an empty stomach is not a good idea, so I walk downstairs and make another salad. After eating I walk back upstairs, stepping quietly over the sleeping fox.

I pull the briefcase out of my duffle and unlock it again. I take a deep breath and open it. The briefcase is full of white binders. I pull out the one on the top and open it. On the first page is a photo of me and my twin cousins sitting on either side of me while Ichigo peeks out from behind Kotarou. I flip to the next page. On this page, I stand next to my father. His hand is on my shoulder and he's wearing a businessman's smile. The ten year-old Kuroki looks like an unhappy doll, a frown plastered on his face as his father pretends that he's a good father. I look at myself in the photo. I remember that day clearly, and for a good reason.

I turn the next page in my album. I'm on the last page. It's a photo that was taken before my accident a year ago. I look at the photo closer than the others. It's me and Miko. I look at myself in the photo. I'm laughing like a child, a small blush on my face as Miko wraps her arms around me.

I close the binder and reach for the next one. The second binder is filled with pages. These pages are all of the short stories I wrote in my lifetime. I immerse myself in the book, a feeling of nostalgia sweeps over me as I reread the stories that I wrote. I get comfortable at the foot of my bed, and continue to read my worries away.

* * *

Wednesday, 06:45

I wake up soaked in cold sweat. I'm leaned against the foot of my bed with my book of stories in my lap. I shakily stand up, nearly collapsing several times as I walk to the window.

I look out into the morning light, reflecting on the decisions I made yesterday. I strip out of my sweaty pajamas and take a shower, preparing for the day ahead. After I finish, I throw on a fresh uniform and step outside.

Kuroki "Screw it. I might as well just dive headfirst into it. It may not be all that bad."

* * *

07:40

**BGM: Generic Happy Music**

Pulling into the front gate, I run into problems. There are three news vans parked outside the academy gate, blocking my way in. I turn off my motercycle, dismount, and carefully push my bike between the vans. Just as I've chained my vehicle to the bike rack, a young woman dressed in business casual clothing with a cameraman following her walks up to me.

Reporter "Excuse me, could you tell me where Makina Kuroki is?"

She shows me a picture of myself. It's a very outdated photo though.

Kuroki "Sorry, ma'am. I'm not very good with faces. I don't know very much about him though."

Reporter "I see, Sorry for bothering you."

Kuroki "Can I ask a favor from you? All three of those vans are blocking the gate and there are other students here who use bikes and scooters to commute."

Reporter "Oh! I'm so sorry! I'll move it out of the way."

I thank her. As soon as he turns around. I remove my helmet and sprint to the school building.

Thank god I got out of that undetected.

**BGM: Off**

* * *

07:45

Have you ever just walked into a room and had party poppers go off in your face?

I have, and it scared the everliving daylights out of me. I don't like surprises that just pop into your face like that. Miko knew that, which is why she never planned anything like it for my birthday.

Of course, this didn't stop the surprise to come.

Kuroki "_Ohai_-[OH GOD]!"

**BGM: Ease**

What was going to be a morning greeting to my class turns into an exclamation of terror as confetti and streamers fly directly at me. After the assault of many colors ends, two of my classmates walk up to me. I expected them to ask for an autograph, but instead, they thank me.

Takehito "Thank you for writing your book, Kuroki-san."

Kuroki "Y-yeah. No problem. I had fun writing it."

Ayano "I had this custom made to fit the artwork on the book. I was going to keep it, but you can have it.

She hands me a small parcel about the size of a pencil box. She gives me a friendly grin and returns to her seat. Bewildered, I walk back to my seat behind Hisao.

Hisao "Lilly and Hanako told me."

Kuroki "Everything?"

Hisao nods.

Kuroki "Good. Now you can guess why I wanted to keep my identity secret."

Hisao "You wanted to make sure that your girlfriend didn't become the target of celebrity gossip, right?"

I nod. Imagining a picture of Miko on a celebrity gossip magazine made me sick to my stomach back then. The last thing I wanted was for Miko to regret the relationship that I treasured. Looking back on it, though, she knew the entire time what I was doing. She was willing to stay with me even if it meant being attacked by the media. I guess that's another thing I have to thank her for.

Hisao "What more can be said then? You kept a huge secret like that from the whole world to protect the person important to you. That deserves respect."

Kuroki "Since when were you such a romantic, Hisao?"

Hisao "I've always been like this. You just haven't been around me long enough to notice."

He gives me a silly grin. Just as I'm about to reply to his cheeky remark, I hear the back door to the classroom open. Hanako walks in, intentionally avoiding eye contact with me.

Kuroki "Uwah. She's gotten really cold towards me all of a sudden."

Hisao "She's gotten a lot of attention since that newspaper article yesterday. She doesn't like being the center of attention, so she's probably avoiding you to keep a low profile."

I can understand her feelings a bit. During middle school, nearly every girl that befriended me had eighth-grade syndrome. Of course, this was simply because I had heterochromia and they thought it looked cool, but it was tough on me as well. When you're a guy surrounded by girls, you have no idea what to do. You just stand there clueless while they chat away. I guess at some point, my life was like a bad harem anime. Good god, did I really think that just now? Whatever, the point is, I understand what it's like to want alone time.

I think I need mental help, my brain just keeps going off on these random tangents, and it's driving me insane.

Hisao "Earth to Kuroki. You there?"

Ah, I spaced out while staring at Hanako. That's slightly embarrassing.

I turn to Hisao.

Kuroki "Sorry, I blanked out for a moment. What did you say?"

Hisao "I said; did you hear that nearly every student at the school is keeping the reporters off of you?"

I raise my eyebrow.

Kuroki "Really now? What's up with that?"

Hisao "This is their way of thanking you for the book. A lot of people enjoyed it. It helped me pull through my days at the hospital. Thanks for that, by the way."

Kuroki "No problem."

Hisao "So, what are you going to do?"

Kuroki "No clue. I guess I'll just keep living life as usual. It's probably not much of a secret anymore, but I'm writing a sequel."

Hisao "I see. Joining a club would get in the way of that."

Kuroki "Not necessarily. I think it would be a waste of time because they already have plenty of gifted writers. This school published it's own book as well. It had six writers. There was also a student who went by the handle "nomorenamesleft" and wrote a ten chapter manga without revealing his true identity. I guess I'm not the only mysterious writer boy in this school. I'm not saying I won't join a club at all."

Hisao "What club do you have in mind?"

PA "Makina Kuroki of class 3-3, please report to the principle's office immediately. I repeat, Makina Kuroki of class 3-3, please report to the principle's office immediately."

Kuroki "Hold that thought. I think the principle is going to complain about the news vans outside the gate."

Hisao "Seems likely enough. Try not to get ambushed by your fanclub on the way."

Kuroki "I wouldn't really call them a fanclub. It's just a small group of friends."

Hisao "I'm not talking about the underclassmen you brought to the Shanghai. There's another group that actually has an official school club."

Kuroki "You're screwing with me."

Hisao grins at me. I can tell there's a hidden meaning behind it.

Hisao "Why don't you find out for yourself? They'll probably wait outside the classroom tomorrow after classes."

Kuroki "I'll do that."

As I'm about to walk out of the classroom door, I turn back to Hisao

Kuroki "Oh yeah, thanks, Hisao."

Hisao "What for?"

Kuroki "You haven't let this whole thing effect how you treat me. That means a lot to me."

I shut the classroom door and head for the principles office.

* * *

7:40

**BGM: Raindrops and Puddles**

Kuroki "Oh yeah, thanks, Hisao."

Hisao "What for?"

Kuroki "You haven't let this whole thing effect how you treat me. That means a lot to me."

I flinch at these words as he closes the classroom door. Is that what he wanted? He just wanted me to act normally? Instead I just acted as if I didn't even know him. I think I might have hurt his feelings by just ignoring him like that. I should have just said "Good morning". Even a small wave would have worked.

Or did I ignore him because I didn't want the attention? Yesterday's student paper made several underclassmen curious as to why he befriended me to begin with. It's a question I don't even have the answer to. Regardless, I have to apologize to him at lunch. Since the day he caught me peeking at his work, he's always given me a small smile or a wave whenever he walks into class. I would always return it with a smile of my own.

Yesterday he told me and Lilly about everything. He told us about his father, his writing, and his girlfriend. I've always been good at hiding emotions, so I could tell how much it hurt him to remember those things.

_"You're all very trustworthy people."_

Akira and Ichigo knew about this all along but still treated him like a brother, like family. To Kuroki, that's the greatest kindness anyone could possibly give him. Now I understand why Kuroki has such a strong bond with them despite no blood relation. I now understand that "Family" isn't a word you use for someone who's related by blood. "Family" is a word used for someone who will support you and care for you, regardless of age, gender, religion, or blood.

What does that make me? He'll still treat me like the shy bookworm who has an affinity for war strategy, regardless of what's happened. I should repay him by doing likewise for him, right?

But is that how I want him to treat me? Is that how I want to treat him?

_"You need to have confidence in yourself, Hanako. Regardless of your scars, you will find someone who looks past them and sees what a beautiful person you are."_

It was Lilly who said that. I think at the time, I was avoiding her because I wasn't aware she was blind. Remembering her chastising me for avoiding people brings a smile to my face.

_I don't want Kuroki to treat me like a shy chess playing bookworm. I want him to treat me like..._

I instantly feel heat spread through my cheeks.

_I... think I might have feelings for Kuroki._

* * *

7:50

I push my way through the crowd of underclassmen heading to class, and step into the principle's office.

Kuroki "[Excuse me. Is Principle Hayate here?]"

I've been to the principle's office once before. I remember shaking his hand.

Callum "[Hmm? Oh, hey Kuroki. Principle Smooth will be here in a minute. By the way, did you hear that ridiculous rumor about you being a professional writer?]" ("Hayate" means "Smooth" in Japanese.)

Kuroki "[Don't let him catch you calling him that. Writing is just a hobby, but I did write Black Key, though.]"

Callum Ansley is the vice principle. She's a young Scottish woman in her late twenties with short black hair and emerald eyes. She's always wearing a suit, and seems to do the "tomboy" stereotype justice. She's very fluent in Japanese, but prefers to speak English whenever possible.

Callum "[Not a professional, eh? Could've fooled me. I though it was the work of a someone like that kid who wrote that one manga at this school.]"

Kuroki "[The difference between us is that he managed to keep his real name secret.]"

Hayate "Sorry for the wait, Kuroki. I had to turn down a few calls from various news stations."

Komine Hayate is an older gentleman in his fifties with silver hair and red eyes. He used to be a preacher at a church nearby and has a kind personality, sort of like an uncle. Most of the English speaking transfer students call him "Father Hayate", which is a name well deserved. He's also known to be blunt and honest, which is why I get along with him so well.

Kuroki "No problem, It's kind of my fault they were calling to begin with."

Hayate "I'm not good with small talk, so I'll get straight to the point. Are you the author of that popular book "Black Key"?"

I answer back truthfully with no hesitation whatsoever.

Kuroki "Yes."

I give him a cheeky grin as he groans and runs his hand through his hair, his other hand resting on his walking cane.

Hayate "Well, not much I can do other than request that they leave the campus."

Kuroki "I could ask them for you. It's kinda my fault their here to begin with."

He's visibly baffled by my words.

Hayate "You might be fine with that. But I don't want them following you home."

Kuroki "There's more to it than that. Want to hear it?"

Hayate grins back at me, clearly amused by the idea.

Hayate "I'm interested. Tell me what this old man can do."

* * *

13:00

**BGM: Afternoon**

Kuroki stands up and stretches. He starts talking to Hisao.

Kuroki "I'm going with some friends to the Shanghai for lunch. Join me?"

Hisao "The Shanghai? Not the usual spot?"

That's what Hisao has called it since he first met me and Lilly. The little unused classroom hidden far away from most of the other classes. The room where you feel like the world has vanished is our little trio would meet up during lunch and after classes.

Kuroki "Yeah, I made a promise with a friend a while back."

Something about the way he worded it sounded odd.

Hisao "I'll be sure to tell Lilly that you won't make it today."

Suddenly, Misha and Shizune stand up, grabbing Hisao from either side.

Misha "Aww. C'mon Hicchan, there's no harm in going with him. We were just about to go to the Shanghai as well."

Kuroki "I'll be sure to sit as far away as possible."

Shizune "_You do owe Misha that lunch. Why not accompany us?_"

Kuroki "_Fine. Just try not to freak out my friends, alright?_"

Misha "Alright, Kucchan! That's fine with me!"

Kuroki "Geh! Don't call me that!"

Kuroki, Hisao, and the student council duo walk out the door. I stand up, considering the idea of joining them, but stop myself. I need to tell Lilly about this first.

* * *

13:05

At the school gate, I run into the same problems I did when I came in. The news vans are still parked in front of the school, but at least there's enough room for me to get through on my motorcycle.

Kuroki "Oh. I almost forgot."

I quickly unchain my bike and start it up, throwing on my coat and helmet. I grab a spare helmet from the glovebox and throw it to Hisao, who hops on the back of the bike as if his life depends on it.

I walk up to the news van with my helmet on. The same reporter from before notices me.

Kuroki "Hey there. I was just asked by the principle to request that you leave."

Reporter "We'll be gone after we interview Makina-san. There are several people who want to know what Black Key's author is like. Among them is Chris Young, the author of Ten Towers"

Misha "Hicchan, Kucchan, wai-"

Kuroki "Don't call me Kucchan!"

With these parting words, I rev the engine and quickly pull out of the school gates. The student council duo chases us for about ten meters, then gives up, deciding to walk instead.

* * *

13:15

I pull up to the Shanghai and chain my bike up after Hisao gets off.

Hisao "You can be really mean sometimes, Kuroki."

Kuroki "[So sue me.]"

Hisao "Huh?"

I stop for a moment, dumbfounded that he didn't understand me. It's a pretty simple phrase that's not even complicated to say in any language.

Kuroki "Seriously, what's the highest you've scored on an English exam?"

Hisao "...Thirty-two."

I would faceplant right about now, but banging my head against the pavement is not high on my list of things to do.

Kuroki "Well, I'll tell you now. Even if you're fluent in English, the highest you can get is probably seventy, if you're lucky. The English tests in this country are brutal and unforgiving."

Hisao "What's the highest you've scored?"

Kuroki "Eighty-nine."

Hisao "You're joking. Those tests are insane even for a native speaker."

Kuroki "I am a native speaker. I'm Scottish/American, remember? I do have a bit of Japanese on my mother's side, though."

Hisao "Oh. If I remember correctly, Lilly's part foreigner too, isn't she?"

Kuroki "She's half Scottish. I know because her sister Akira is a family friend. Akira's like a sister to me."

Me and Hisao walk into the Shanghai while making small talk.

Akane "Kuroki-senpai! Over here!"

Yuuko "W-Wel-"

Kuroki "Yuuko! Relax! It's only me."

Yuuko "Oh, Good afternoon, Kuroki, Hisao."

Hisao "Good afternoon, Yuuko."

Kuroki "Just the usual for me. Hisao?"

Hisao "Coffee and a sandwich, please."

Yuuko "Okay. I'll have your orders ready soon. Please take any seat you like."

I walk over to the table Akane is sitting at. TK is sitting next to her. Me and Hisao sit across from them.

Akane "Hey Hisao. Did you two order already?"

Kuroki "Yeah. I'm just asking out of curiosity, but what did you order?"

TK "I ordered a chicken sandwich with rice on the side."

Akane "I didn't order anything, I have my own lunch."

Yuuko walks up to us and sets the tray down on the table.

Hisao "That was fast!"

Yuuko "Please enjoy."

**BGM: Out of the Loop**

I hear the bell on the door chime as Shizune and Misha walk in.

Misha is wearing a T_T face and Shizune is looking rather peeved. The both walk up to me. Misha attempts to karate chop me in the head, but I foil her by moving my head over slightly. Shizune on the other hand is signing furiously at me.

Shizune "_What the hell, Kuroki? You were supposed to accompany us, not leave us in the dust._"

Kuroki "_I can tell full well that you planned on making Hisao pay for lunch.__ Don't even try to act innocent. I'm willing to pay for Misha's lunch, but I won't stand idly by as you dump a mile long bill on one of my friends._"

Shizune is clearly both surprised and angered by my jab. She draws back her hand and lets loose. I don't try to dodge this one.

_Smack!_

I hardly even feel anything, probably because I have a high tolerance for pain. I didn't even flinch or blink either, which probably freaked her out a little. Akane and TK are staring at the scene in shock. Hisao is glaring at her with no mercy.

Kuroki "If you want to cause me pain, you'll have to try a lot harder, Class Prez."

Hisao "That was uncalled for, Shizune."

I can hear the venom in his voice as he glares angrily as Shizune.

Misha "I'm afraid I have to side with Hicchan on this one. That was a going little too far."

Shizune gives me an incredibly dirty look and walks out of the Shanghai with her fists clenched.

Misha "I'm sorry, Kucchan. I could have stopped her."

Kuroki "It's fine. I probably pushed her buttons too hard. I don't blame her... And don't call me Kucchan!"

Misha "Alright, seeya later Kucchan."

_Guuuuh..._

**BGM: Ease**

After the duo has departed, I turn back to my original company.

Kuroki "So, what were we talking about?"

Hisao whistles in amazement.

Hisao "Either you have a will of steel, or Shizune knocked something loose when she slapped you."

Kuroki "Neither. You know what I've been through. A little slap on the cheek is nothing compared to everything else. But damn, I think she would make an excellent martial artist with the strength she hit me."

Akane "Frightening."

TK "I think you're a stoic, Kuroki."

Kuroki "Ehhhhh!? _Uso_!"

TK "By the way, there's this rumor going around the school that you're Kurotori. Can you believe that? It sounds like something a conspiracy theorist would say."

I shudder as a a mental image of Kenji pointing a finger in my face damningly pops into my head.

Kuroki "That nutcase in 117 is having a negative influence on my mental health."

Hisao "What's the longest you've spoken to him?"

Kuroki "I think I just walked away after he said something about a feminist moon base on Saturn."

Hisao tries to keep himself from grinning, but fails.

Kuroki "Anyway, back to the subject. The rumors about me being Kurotori are true."

The entire table goes silent. Yuuko drops a dish behind the counter.

Yuuki "Waaah! _Gomen!_"

After Yuuko comically breaks the silence, TK speaks up.

TK "No way. I don't believe you. Prove it."

I pull my book thin air and show the signature to her.

TK "This is definitely the writer's signature. What are you getting at though?"

I grab a napkin and one of my pencils and write "Kotomi Kurotori" on it. I set it down next to the signature on the book. They look exactly identical.

Kuroki "Now do you believe me?"

TK's eyes widen with shock.

TK "No way. Kazu actually wrote something that had a shred of truth to it?"

Hisao "That's the bigger shock here!?

Akane "His articles tend to have credit to them more often than not. Although I wish he'd get rid of that habit of twisting the facts."

TK "I'm curious. Why did you keep it a secret?"

Kuroki "There were two reasons at the time. The main reason was for Miko. More often than not, celebrities in relationships tend to be harassed by whatever creepy fanclub is out there. The second reason was because my father was obsessed with making sure I was perfect. He would have forced me to sharpen my talent to perfection with no regard to my own feelings. I don't write for money or popularity, I write because I enjoy it. I want someone to read my stories and let them step into the shoes of the main character the same way I used to as a child."

Akane "Black Key is based on a real story about a child who sees his dead cousin after an accident. You..."

_"...wouldn't happen to be that child, would you?"_

Kuroki "Yes. That's correct. I am the child in question. All I did was rename the characters. So it's actually a true story, rather than being based on one."

Dead silence.

Hisao is the only one making noise as he eats his food.

**BGM: Hokobi**

Kuroki "Hisao, I think your ability to listen to this kind of stuff while eating is enviable."

Hisao "What are you talking about? It's hardly anything to be sick about. It's just sad."

Kuroki "You do realize that everything Akihiko saw is actually what I saw. Including that one hallucination with the disemboweled-"

Hisao "I'm going to stop you right there. That's not something to talk about while eating."

He shudders after putting his half-eaten sandwich down. He wraps it with his newspaper and puts it in his bag.

Hisao "I don't feel like eating with that mental image in my head"

Kuroki "What about the one where I tear my arm open by forcing my Ulna and Radius apart with-" (The Ulna and Radius are the two bones in your forearm.)

Hisao "_Yamero!_ Don't get any more descriptive than that, please!"

Akane and TK stare at us both in amazement.

Akane "You two seem to get along well."

Me and Hisao turn to them.

Both "What are you talking about?"

We both say it in perfect sync, which causes Akane to choke on her tea. TK raises an eyebrow.

**BGM: Off**

My cell phone rings. It's not a recognized number, because it's playing the default ringtone, meaning I haven't added them to my contacts. Ichigo's ringtone is the opening theme of SAW, Akira's ringtone is Stal by C418, my mother's ringtone is a generic harp tone, and my father's ringtone is

Kuroki "Excuse me for a moment. I have to take this."

**BGM: Stride**

I walk a safe distance away. Most of the people who contact me nowadays are shady people who give me empty death threats daily despite the fact I changed my number twice. I flip open my cellphone and answer the call without looking at the caller ID.

Kuroki "[This is Kuroki Machina speaking. How may I help you?]"

I've only given my number to three times since I transferred. Hisao, Lilly, and the school are the only three that have my phone number here. So of course, I expect that it's someone from my father's corporation to calling me from Scotland.

Lilly "_Ara ara_ [You speak English quite fluently, Kuroki. I almost thought I dialed a wrong number.]"

Kuroki "You sound pretty much the same. [To what do I owe this courtesy call?]"

Lilly "Well, you see, me and Hanako were planning on going shopping friday. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, I won't be able to come with her."

Kuroki "And you want me to go with Hanako in your stead?"

Lilly "Correct. I assume this won't be a problem?"

Kuroki "No. I don't really have and plans after school then, so it should be fine. But before you go, I have a question."

Lilly "And what would that be?"

Kuroki "You _did_ notify Hanako about this, right?"

Lilly "Are you pulling my leg? Of course she doesn't."

Lilly has a small laugh at my expense.

Kuroki "She totally ignored me this morning. I don't think she knows how to act after I told you two about the writing thing."

Lilly "Ahh. I see. She was actually questioned in the library yesterday afternoon by underclassmen because of the newspaper."

Kuroki "She hates attention that much? I thought she was shy, but she didn't show any sign of it during our last Shanghai visit."

Lilly "Well, Hisao and myself were with her. I think the fact that you were there was a deciding factor as well."

Kuroki "Me? How can you be sure about that? She's known you two longer than she's known me."

Lilly "Well, after you befriended her, I suspect your confidence rubbed off on her. As of today, she's stopped stuttering. She even said she might join the newspaper club."

Kuroki "_Wah! Sugoi sugoi!_"

Lilly "_Ara ara_. What did you say?"

I can feel the bloodlust through the phone. I should avoid angering her because that's not nice.

Kuroki "Sorry. I haven't really known her that long, but... is it really that amazing?"

Lilly "I've known her for roughly a two years now. This is the first time she's acted like this."

Kuroki "Do you have any idea why she would start acting like this after meeting me?"

Lilly "Well, I have several theories. The most likely reason would be that you told us about your past."

Kuroki "Elaborate please."

Lilly "After losing so much and suffering the way you have, you can still smile and laugh. You can still be happy or joyful despite it all. "

Kuroki "I still don't get what that has to do with it."

Lilly "You don't? It's obvious. You've inspired her."

Something clicks in my head.

Kuroki "...I see."

Lilly's goodbye is lost on me as she hangs up. I close my cellphone and look out a nearby window.

That theory of her's is all good and well, but I have a feeling there's more to it than that. There's just something nagging at me in the back of my head. It's the same feeling that I had last night, but stronger. I walk back to the table and finish my meal, albeit uneasy about what I just heard.

* * *

13:40

**BGM: Concord**

I walk back into the tearoom for the second time during the lunch break. I accidentally forgot my school bag that had my lunch in it.

As I walk in, Lilly finishes a call with a friend and closes her cellphone.

Lilly "Back so soon?"

Hanako "_Hai_. Sorry I took so long. I got surrounded by underclassmen who were looking for Kuroki."

Lilly smiles at me. I haven't seen her smile like that before. I can tell she's a little saddened. Although I don't know why there's a sad element to the smile.

Lilly "By the way, Hanako, I won't be able to go shopping with you this friday. I remembered that I have to help Yuuko with sorting out the braille section of the library. Sorry, Hanako."

Hanako "Oh. I... I see."

I'm a bit disappointed since I was looking forward to spending friday with Lilly. I'm still a little uncomfortable at the idea of going alone. I guess this is a good chance to see if I up to this.

After finishing my tea, I say goodbye to Lilly and head to the classroom.

* * *

13:45

**BGM: Raindrops and Puddles**

Hisao "Go ahead, Kuroki. Class will start in a few minutes and I'm not done eating yet."

Akane keeps looking between me and her feet, looking like she wants to say something.

Kuroki "You're done, Akane. Want to come with me?"

Akane "Oh. Okay. If that's alright with you."

Hisao winks at me suggestively. I known what he means by this, but I ignore it knowing that he's just trying to mess with me.

I walk outside with Akane and hand her a helmet. She looks briefly confused until she sees my motorcycle.

Akane "Uwah... That looks way expensive."

Kuroki "It only costed around 30,000 Yen. My sister built it for me as a birthday present."

Akane "Does it work?"

Kuroki "What are you talking about? It wouldn't be here if it didn't work, silly."

Akane "I mean, isn't this dangerous?"

Kuroki "Dangerous? What are you talking about? It depends on the skill of the driver. I've got a license, after all."

Akane "That's... not really what I meant."

I start the bike and get ready to pull out.

Kuroki "Hold on tight. I don't want any passenger of mine to get injured."

Akane "O-okay."

She tightens her grip around my midsection as I pull out of the packing lot and onto the road. I drive up at the speed limit as I head for our school on the hill.

* * *

13:50

Kuroki gently decelerates upon reaching the top of the hill. He pulls in between the multiple vans that are parked outside the gate and turns off his bike. I carefully get off of the bike as well and take of my helmet. He chains his bike to the rack and is about to remove his helmet when-

Reporter "Excuse me miss. Do you know where I can find Makina Kuroki?"

I turn to look at Kuroki, who shrugs. He's very good at acting.

Akane "Sorry, I've only talked to Makina-senpai a few times, so I don't really know his current address."

Reporter "Could you tell us which class he's in?"

Akane "I couldn't tell you."

Report "I see. Thank you for your time."

After the reporter turns around and shakes her head to the cameraman, I heave a sigh of relief.

Kuroki "Thanks, Akane. You saved me."

Akane "No problem. Thanks for lunch and the ride."

Kuroki nods. I stow my helmet in his bike's glovebox.

Suddenly we hear a voice.

Cameraman "What are you talking about? That's him right there in the helmet."

Everyone in the immediate vicinity hears it. Several people and cameras turn to Kuroki.

Kuroki puts away his helmet, grabs my hand and speaks.

Kuroki "Run."

We both run into the school building as the reporter turns to us with a shocked look on her face. Just before we close the doors, Kuroki shouts out to the reporters.

Kuroki "Sorry! I'll take the interview another time!"

After a few seconds of running, we stop to take a breath. Well, I do. Kuroki looks like he's barely even tired.

Kuroki "Right. That was fun."

Akane "I'm curious. Why did you accept the interview for the newspaper club, but not those people?"

Kuroki laughs grimly.

**BGM: Breathlessly**

Kuroki "Worldwide media is twisted. They're trying to entertain people, not inform them. You've probably read yesterday's article, right? The one that Kazuki-kun wrote?"

Akane "Yeah, I have. What about it?"

Kuroki "Everything about my father and my girlfriend was true. Mikado writes the truth, but inserts his own assumptions with it. However, he makes it clear what the truth is, and what his speculations are. Have you read the most recent tabloid?"

Akane "The one about that child hacker that helped the authorities catch cyber-terrorists?"

Kuroki "Correct. The story in the tabloid tells us that the authorities contacted the young hacker and asked her for help. I contacted her over email and spoke with her. The truth is that the authorities threatened to put her in prison unless she helped them. They didn't "contact" her, they kicked her door in and arrested her. The worst part is that she's not ever a criminal. She's roughly your age, and she gets rid of computer viruses for a living. That's one hell of a twisted story, huh? Nearly every tabloid has a story that's been twisted just for the sake of being interesting to the reader."

I can see the bitterness in his eyes. You would think he was talking about a friend or a family member instead of an unfamiliar stranger.

Kuroki "People are twisting stories to make the good guy sound like the bad guy, and the innocent to look guilty. They do it for money at the expense of others. Anybody who does that shouldn't exist."

His voice as her says these words sounds a lot different than his normal talking voice. It's as if another person is speaking altogether. It's eerie.

**BGM: Ease**

Kuroki "Sorry, I should probably shut up now. I doubt you want to hear me complain this."

Akane "Well, I don't really mind."

Kuroki "By the way, which class are you in? I never found out."

Akane "Oh. Class 2-3. Right here."

I open the door without thinking. Several eyes affix themselves on both me and Kuroki. Kuroki looks back at the class with a look of mild surprise, and grins.

Kuroki "Yo, Kazuki-kun. Nice article."

Kazuki "Oh. Thanks."

Kuroki turns his gaze to me.

Kuroki "I'll be off then, Akane. Take care of yourself."

He raises a hand in farewell and walks off, heading to his own class. As I walk to my seat, I can feel nearly everyone's eyes on me.

Rin "Hey, Akane-chan. What was that about?"

* * *

**I'm going to say this to avoid causing any confusion. The Rin in this scene is not the Rin from the original storyline.**

**Rin is a common male/female name in Japan, so it wouldn't be strange for there to be more than one Rin at any school.**

* * *

Akane "He walked me to class after eating lunch with me. What's so strange about that?"

Rin "You mean he didn't make passionate love to you on the rooftop?!"

**BGM: Hokobi**

_Whack!_

I hit her over the head with a paper fan.

Akane "What's that supposed to mean!?"

Rin "Uguu! Meanie!"

Several people in the class stifle their laughter as me and Rin go about our usual antics.

Rin "Isn't that a common scenario in almost every eroge? The protagonist has sex on the roofto-"

_Whack!_

Rin "Uguu!"

Akane "This isn't a one of your silly adult games! This is real life!"

Rin "But you guys are going out, right?"

I sigh. I've told her this before, but she keeps just brushing it off.

Akane "We're not going out, Rin-chan. It's a test run. If he wants to go out with me, he'll let me kn-

Rin "He'll "Let you know soon", Right? You're not fooling anyone, Akane-chan."

Akane "I keep telling you-"

My sentence is cut off as the bell rings. The teacher walks in at that exact moment.

_I wish she would stop making assumptions like that._

* * *

**I put several intentional references in this chapter. If you watch anime, the "Uguu!" will be the most obvious.**

**As for "nomorenamesleft", He's the author for my favorite (discontinued) fanfiction "The Same Kind.". Look it up, it's a good read!**

**I good some positive feedback on the BGM music idea, so I'll be sticking with it.**

**I'm thinking about writing another fanfiction that takes place in the same timeline as "To Lose Something" Let me know what you think!**


	16. Act II, Part V

18:00

**BGM: Afternoon**

The school bell rings, bringing an end to my afternoon classes. Shizune leads a quiet "Stand and bow" before class is dismissed for the day. I sit back down in my chair and lay my notebook on my desk. I refill my empty mechanical pencil before pressing it the the paper. I continue from where I left off. As the page slowly becomes more filled, I can feel eyes me.

Kuroki "If you want to watch, I don't mind."

I hear a few footsteps cross into the classroom, contrasting with the sound of a pencil on paper. I'm too engrossed in writing to pay any attention. I can hear quiet whispering and breathing behind me as I continue to fill the page. It's a little distracting, but I've gotten used to it.

* * *

18:00

After Mutou hands out the homework, I sit back down in my chair and begin to work on it. I would like to have this work done as soon as possible so that I have free time to talk to Kuroki after he finishes with his afternoon writing. After a few minutes, I hear him speak.

Kuroki "If you want to watch, I don't mind."

I turn around and find out he wasn't talking to me. He's talking to a small group of first years that were probably peeking in through the classroom door. They quietly giggle among themselves and scurry up behind Kuroki to watch him. He pays them no mind as he writes on the notebook in front of him. Every now and then, he pauses and inserts more lead into his pencil.

I finally realize I've spent nearly a solid ten minutes staring at him. I don't what it is about him, but whenever he writes, he shows really childlike emotions that strongly contrast to his usual look. Whenever Kuroki is writing, it's easy to read his face. He has a determined look in his eyes as he fills page after page. It's no wonder the underclassmen want to watch him. Watching him write is beyond entertaining. It's fun.

I reluctantly turn back to my homework and fill out the last three problems. I pack up my things and stand up. As I head for the exit, Kuroki calls out to me.

Kuroki "See you tomorrow, Hanako."

He gives me a friendly smile and a wave. I return it with my own.

Hanako "See you later."

I walk out the door and ignore the painful stares that the underclassmen are giving me. In spite of the fact that I entirely ignored his existence today, he still treats me the same. There still so much I don't know about him, but for some reason or another, I wasn't surprised by the way he acted towards me just now. I want to know him better

_Ask him out, then!_

A voice rings out in the back of my head. Should I do that? He's not going out with anyone. But he might not be ready for that, though. He lost his girlfriend a year ago, but Ichigo told me that he spent nine months of that period comatose. So for him, it's the same thing as losing her three months ago. There's no way he could spend that much time with Miko and be able to let go in only three months.

Besides, I doubt he's even thought about me as anything other than a friend. Even if we did end up in a relationship, could I tell him what happened? Would I be able to tell him my story the same way he told me his? I can almost smell the burn ward's suffocating sterilized air. I remember being in critical condition for nearly five months due to an infection. I nearly died from fever twice. After surviving the infection, I was contained inside a sealed environment for nearly a year. I wasn't even allowed to read books. I was just left by myself with my own thoughts.

I shake my head and push these memories out of my mind. I have to think about how I'm going to ask out Kuroki right now.

I'll worry about my past later.

* * *

18:30

Kuroki "Ow."

I drop my pencil suddenly, startling the first years that were silently observing just a few moments ago. I look down at my wrist and try to move it.

Kuroki "Well, I guess that's enough for today..."

I guess I overdid it today. That's the disadvantage of using a pen or pencil instead of a typwriter. I use my other hand to reach down and pick up the pencil, which broke from the fall, and sigh. I have to go into town to buy more now. What to they make these things out of now? They're so delicate that breathing on it could probably break it. I toss my things into my schoolbag, stand up, and head for the door. I can hear the students that were watching me sigh in disappointment as I walk out of the classroom.

_Maybe it's because of the people I clotheslined._

**BGM: Off**

Kuroki "Now then... to deal with _those_ people."

I head down the hallway and pull out my cellphone. I select Ichigo's number and send a text containing a a single word.

* * *

M Kuroki - K Ichigo

6:34 PM **Ready.**

**The plan is now in motion. **6:34 PM

* * *

18:35

**BGM: Generic Happy Music**

As I pass through the second year's floor, I notice something _way_ out of the ordinary. Everyone is wearing a hooded jacket and an eyepatch. I stop and look at them for a second, dumbfounded at the amount of students wearing the shady looking getup. As I'm about to leave, I hear a voice shout out.

Ichigo "Alright people, it's go time! Put on your hoods and move out!"

Students "Understood!"

Kuroki's sister is here commanding the event, it seems. She catches my gaze and waves to me.

Ichigo "Hey, Hana-chan. What's up?"

Hanako "Actually, that's what I wanted to know. Why is everyone dressed up like that?"

Ichigo "Grab an eyepatch and a jacket if you want to find out."

She giggles impishly, briefly reminding me of Emi, and runs off to lead the group. I feel a little bit uncomfortable with crowds, I decide to go with it since it looks like fun. After I get dressed in the proper attire, I join up with the rest of the group. A hooded Ichigo grabs my hand to keep us from getting separated and we begin to walk.

_Her hands are cold, but soft and gentle._

After a few minutes, we arrive at the front gate where only one news van remains.

Ichigo guides me as we both push through the crowd of weirdly dressed students that are heading home. Come to think of it, I live in the dormitories, so there's no need to exit the gates. Oh well, I guess I might as well visit the convenience store while I'm out. After we're out of sight from the news van, Ichigo speaks up... in a much deeper voice.

Kuroki "Whew, that was close."

The figure takes off it's hood to reveal Kuroki. I'm quite curious as to how he managed to switch out with Ichigo without me noticing, but I'll ask him afterwords. Right now, there's a much more pressing question I have on my mind.

Hanako "What's going on?"

Kuroki "Well, It's a long story..."

* * *

7:55

**Eight hours ago.**

**BGM: Out of the Loop**

Kuroki "Well, you see, it's a fairly simple plan. I just have to blend in with everyone while hiding my face."

Hayate "They're probably expecting that. You'll stick out if you try anything like that."

Kuroki "That's only part of it. I've spoken with my sister, and she's put together a small group of students that are willing to help with the plan."

Hayate "Go on."

I cross my legs and grin at him.

Kuroki "It's simple, really. Make everyone stand out."

The man looks confused for a moment, but quickly catches onto what I'm trying to say.

Hayate "I see."

Kuroki "I've been preparing since yesterday for this. Ishi has asked everyone in her class to bring a hoodie or hooded jacket with them today. She's always had a load of eyepatches that she made for me during her Chuunibyou days, so she'll hand one out to everyone participating."

Hayate "You're right, that is a very simple plan. But it's an effective plan."

Kuroki "If you can't change to match your surroundings..."

Hayate "...have your surroundings change to match you."

Kuroki "Exactly. After all of the chaos has died down, someone will give them an anonymous tip. It'll give them a list of my usual hangouts in the area."

Callum "[Clever. But how are you going to keep your address secret from them?]"

Kuroki "My address isn't in the school records since I only moved into my vacation house a while ago. It isn't a major problem to keep it that way, right?"

Hayate "Just give your address to Mutou or your class representative. I've known Mutou for a long time, and I'm sure you can trust him. Other than that, make sure you only tell your address to people you trust."

Kuroki "Sounds good. I'll give it to Mutou, since I don't trust our current class rep."

Callum "Oh, you're talking about Shizune, aren't you?"

Kuroki "Yeah. I don't know why, but every time I speak with her, I feel like she's trying to get inside my head."

Callum "That's not just you. Nearly everyone else who knows her has said something similar."

Hayate "Well, that's the end of our little talk. You have classes to attend, so move along, now."

Kuroki "Alright. Later then."

* * *

18:40

**Present time.**

**BGM: Air Guitar**

Hanako "I see. You sure went through a lot of trouble."

Kuroki "So did you. Sorry for getting you dragged into this, Hanako. I didn't think Ishi would do something like that."

Hanako "It's alright."

Actually, I should thank her. This is a perfect opportunity to ask him if he's free this friday.

Hanako "Hey, Kuroki?"

Kuroki "Hmm? Yes, Hanako?"

_Ask him._

Hanako "Umm. Are you free this upcoming friday?"

He looks a little surprised when I ask him this. He looks up at the sky in thought, as if the answer was written in the sunset-stained clouds rolling overhead.

Kuroki "I need to drop by a few places out in the nearby city, but that's pretty much it."

_Here goes nothing._

Hanako "Umm... If you don't mind, c-could I go with you?"

He raises an eyebrow, but calmly responds.

Kuroki "I don't see why not. A word of warning though: I'm going to stop by one of my usual spots, so expect an ink-thirsty journalist at any moment."

He delivers this silly warning with an absolutely serious face.

Hanako "Ink-thirsty? Are you serious?"

Kuroki looks confused as to why I'm amused by this, which makes me even more amused.

Kuroki "Of course. Why wouldn't I be? Journalists can be very scary."

This time, I can tell he's actually serious, and not trying to joke around. His eyes tell me that he knows this firsthand.

Kuroki "Anyway, I'll see you fri-"

**BGM: Hokobi**

Ichigo "Aniki! What are you doing? You can't leave a girl out alone this late!"

Kuroki's face twitches briefly before settling back into it's normal mask almost instantly.

_Annoyance?_

Kuroki "Are you telling me to walk her back to the gates and get eaten alive by the reporters?"

Ichigo "No. Though that is one option."

Kuroki "And what's the other?"

Ichigo's face also briefly flashes to something else, but I manage to catch a better glimpse than with Kuroki's.

_She's was grinning evilly._

Ichigo "Have her come home with us, of course! What else-"

_Streeeeeetch!_

Kuroki "[**DISCIPLINE-DESU!**]"

In a split second, Kuroki runs up to Ichigo, grabs her face and pulls her cheeks outward. Hard. Meanwhile, my face has probably turned as red as a tomato from the idea of seeing Kuroki's room. Wait, stop right there. I might not go at all. Why am I getting my hopes up like this?

Ichigo "[Paheeeese noooooo!]"

After Ichigo wails in pain, Kuroki releases her face and gives her an exasperated look. It's kind of funny seeing them poke fun at each other. Sometimes, I wish I had a sibling.

Ichigo "Seriously, though. It's either that, or you're walking her back by yourself."

Kuroki's brow furrows as he thinks it over. I can tell that he would rather just walk me back, but...

Hanako "I... wouldn't mind spending the night at your house."

I manage to force the sentence out without stuttering. Ichigo instantly recoils from the shock, tripping as she lurches backwards. She manages to spin around so that she's facing the ground, but she doesn't put her hands out in time. She faceplants on the concrete.

Kuroki "Ouch. Are you okay, Ishi?"

Ichigo stands up very slowly in a very creepy way. It's as if she's trying to look like a toilet girl from a movie.

Kuroki "You know, you look a lot less scary when you have chewing gum on your chin."

Ichigo "Ewww! Gross!"

Kuroki turns away from Yandere-chan, and faces me.

Kuroki "I guess this means your spending the night with us. I guess it's alright if you're fine with it.

I nod.

**BGM: Wiosna**

Kuroki "Pull that gum off your face, Ishi. We're going to be late. Don't forget that Mom's coming home tonight."

Kuroki's mother? I wonder what kind of person she is. I'm about to find out.

I speed up my pace a little to catch up with Kuroki. This is when I notice, that he's not wearing is eyepatch right now. His eyes reflect the sunlight in two different colors as he walks ahead. As the two siblings walk side-by-side, Kuroki rests his hand on his sister's head, smiling all the way.

But as I look at him from his right side, I can tell there's a troubled element to his smile. There's something going on behind his warm expression that I can't see. I almost consider asking him about it, but decide against it. I don't want to ruin this delicate atmosphere with a question like that. I simply walk beside him all the way to his house.

* * *

19:05

It takes roughly half an hour by foot to arrive home. I walk up to the door quietly, motioning for Ichigo and Hanako to stay in the driveway.

**MISSION START**

**BGM: Stride**

I insert my house key into the door slowly, knowing that even the tiniest creak of the door could be fatal. I turn the key as gently as I can until I hear a quiet "click". I turn the doorknob in the same manner as I did the key.

I push the door open just enough to slip inside, since the front door squeaks when you open it too wide. I push the door shut behind me.

_Something's not right here. That was far too easy._

I pull out a copy of Twilight and blow the dust from the pages into the entryway.

_Just as I thought._

Several infrared lasers show up. There are only three of them, so I should be able to avoid them easily.

I use a careful maneuver to dodge between them, and creep my way into the kitchen. I see my mother napping on the living room couch.

_A little too relaxed, aren't you?_

I cardboard-box my way to the pantry and open it. My mother and sister both have sixth senses that tell them when I'm after ramen, but I don't trigger them when I reach for the box of cupra on the bottom shelf. I'm not after ramen this time.

I pull out a specially marked noodle cup, which feels lighter than the others. I pull off the already-open seal and reach inside.

_You never found that sixth water balloon, did you, mother?_

I pull out the water balloon while ignoring it's suggestive shape. I grin and slowly sneak over to the sofa where Mom is sleeping peacefully.

I get a stool and tape a string with a needle on the end to the ceiling above Mom. The needle is hovering roughly twenty centimeters above her head.

I carefully tape my payload onto her forehead, and set her alarm for sixty seconds.

She tends to wake with a start whenever she sleeps on the sofa, so I do some last minute adjustments.

_Bomb has been planted._

I erase any traces of my visit, avoid the lasers once more, and leave the house.

**MISSION ACCOMPLISHED**

**BGM: Hokobi**

I walk out of the house as if nothing happened.

Ichigo "What did you do?"

Her tone is accusatory. Before she can interrogate me, I hold my hand up.

Three fingers. Then two. Then one.

I make a fist.

Riku "NyuuooOOOOAAAAAAAH!"

The accompanying scream causes several lights to go on next door. I walk back inside and saunter straight through the infrared beams.

Kuroki "_Ta-dai-ma. _I heard a voice. Was that you, Mom?"

As I walk through the the beams, a side table in our entryway opens, revealing a bag of flour rigged with some sort of air tank.

I grab an umbrella from the coat hanger and deploy it not a moment too soon. The bag of flour explodes with the sound of a popping balloon. Mom was smart enough to use a shoe box to direct the explosion where me and my guests would be standing. Probably to reduce the amount of time spent cleaning up the aftermath. The homemade umbrella works like a charm, preventing me and Hanako from getting blasted with flour.

Ichigo, however, was not so lucky. She didn't duck behind the umbrella in time, and was blasted with a facefull of the white powder. God bless her. After a moment, she silently walks into the living room. I can sense her anger as she walks calmly over to the sofa, takes her shirt off, and shakes the flour onto Mom. Flower and water makes for a difficult mess to clean up.

That's when I notice that Ichigo is wearing a familiar black bra.

Kuroki "That used to be Miko's underwear."

The whole room goes dead silent. Ichigo turns to me with a shocked look on her face. After a long silence, she speaks.

Ichigo "Wait, how do you know that?"

Kuroki "I will now invoke my right to withhold information."

I stonewall my sister and walk into the kitchen before pulling things out of the fridge for supper.

Kuroki "Hey, Hanako. Is there anything in particular you want to eat tonight?"

Hanako "Oh... Anything will do..."

Riku "By the way, who's this girl you brought home with you, Kucchan?"

Kuroki "Oh. This is my friend and classmate. Her name is Ikezawa Hanako."

My mother leans in close to Hanako and studies her closely while I put a pan on the stove top. I take the leftover mashed potatoes out of the fridge.

_I'll make some croquettes for supper._

Suddenly, I hear Hanako let out a confused squeal. I poke my head out of the kitchen to see the white fox walk into the same room as me. Apparently, he had brushed up against Hanako's leg and startled her.

Fox "[Yo!]"

Kuroki "Hey, now. Don't scare the guest, kitsune-chan."

I reach down and rub the fox behind his ears, prompting a quiet purr. I poke my head back into the living room.

Kuroki "What's his name?"

Ichigo "I haven't thought of one. We usually just call him _Shiro_." (This is an obvious one. "Shiro" is Japanese for "white")

Kuroki "That's an awfully bland name. Can't you come up with a better one?"

Ichigo shoots me a dirty look. I can't blame her. I'm purposely pushing her buttons to screw with her. We all know she's terrible at naming pets. Her glare turns into a grin, and she narrows her eyes. Usually this means she's going to try to turn the tables on me.

Ichigo "Oh? You can come up with a better one?"

Kuroki "Fubuki." (Snowstorm.)

Riku "He hardly even thought about it!?"

Fubuki fits this unique fox nicely, I think.

Ichigo "That was fast!"

I pick up the fuzzy white fox and speak to him.

Kuroki "Of course, we could always ask him what his name is. He's pretty smart, so his previous owner might have given him a name."

Ichigo "Huh? How did you guess he had a previous owner?"

Kuroki "Like I said. This guy is smart. I don't know where he could have gotten this level of intelligence in _this_ household."

I quickly grab the pan from the stove and use it to block whatever blunt object Ichigo has thrown at me. As I set the pan back down and stick my tongue out at her, I hear Hanako giggle at our silly antics.

Kuroki "Now put a shirt on. I don't think we brought Hanako here to show her your taste in underwear."

Fubuki "[Raun-chy!]"

**BGM: Raindrops and Puddles**

Ichigo finally remembers that she's topless, and runs upstairs to get changed. All the while, I prepare to fry the croquettes. My mother walks to her room to do the same, leaving me and Hanako alone. I toss the first four cooked croquettes onto a serving tray and put four more in the hot pan.

After a short while, I notice that Hanako is watching me from behind very intently. I grab a fork, impale one of the piping-hot croquettes, and hold it out to Hanako.

Kuroki "Tell me what you think."

Hanako looks taken aback after a moment. She reaches out for a plate, but I stop her.

Kuroki "Just eat it from the fork. It'll save you the trouble."

Her cheeks turn a bright shade of red, but she leans in regardless and takes a bite directly from the fork. I wait in anticipation. I don't know why, though.

Kuroki "...How is it?"

Hanako "It's good."

For some reason, I can't stop myself from grinning at her compliment.

Ichigo "Huy! No faiw! I want Onii-tan to feed me too!"

Kuroki "Okay. Open wide."

Ichigo closes her eyes and mock-seductively opens her mouth. I pull a freshly-cooked croquette from the pan and throw it into her open mouth.

Ichigo "[Burn! That burns! Owwww!] But it's so delicious!"

Kuroki "Act your age, Ishi. Feed yourself."

Ichigo "What about Hanako though?"

Kuroki "I volunteered to do that. Could you please leave? I can't concentrate whenever you start screwing around."

Ichigo "You... volunteered?"

Kuroki "Yeah. What about it?"

Ichigo "Oh, nothing."

She turns away with a knowing smile on her face. I'm clueless as she saunters out of the kitchen. Honestly, I wish she would just be straight with me like I am with everyone.

I suddenly remember the thing that I tried forgetting on the way here. Akane says she's interested in me, and I could say the same to her, but every time I think about dating her, I get really uneasy. I still can't figure out why I felt the same way when I heard about Hanako changing her attitude because of me. I think I've had this feeling before, but I just can't put a finger on it. I heave a sigh and look out the window. Of course, the answer isn't there. Why would it be?

After supper, I'm going to get showered and go to bed early. Hopefully a full night's rest will help my mess of a mind. Given the time I spent with her, it's not surprising I still have these lingering attachments to Miko. But what do I do?

I'm far from clueless. I know exactly how Hanako feels about me, and I don't want to hurt her either. But when it comes down to it, I'm going to have to pick one or the other. I might not even be able to do that, even. I know that I like them both as friends, but I haven't been able to make myself see either of them as more than that. I actually only started thinking about Miko as a member of the opposite sex after she changed classes in middle school, leaving me feeling unusually lonely.

Riku "...ucchan? Kucchan?"

I realize that I've been spacing out. I turn over the croquettes to find them slightly burned. I heave another heavy sigh and toss the overcooked croquettes onto my own plate.

Riku "That's unusual. You almost never burn the food. Are you alright, Kucchan?"

Kuroki "Sorry, I spaced out for a moment. Dinner's ready."

I carry the tray of warm croquettes to the kitchen table and lay out some plates for everybody. Everyone sits down and serves themselves. I eat my slightly burnt, but tasty croquettes.

Kuroki "_Itadakimasu._"

We all chat over supper, but my mind isn't anywhere near the dining room.

* * *

19:45

**BGM: Wiosna**

Kuroki "I'll excuse myself, then."

Kuroki takes his plate into the kitchen, presumably to wash it. Apparently, his mother finds this out of character for him.

Riku "Hmm? What's up Kucchan?"

Kuroki "It's been a long day. I'm going to use the bath."

Riku "Remember that you have a guest, Kuroki. Don't take too long in there."

He gives his usual wave-over-the-shoulder without looking back, and walks upstairs. I hear the sound of running water a moment later. Kuroki's mother turns her eyes to me and speaks with a grin on her face.

Riku "So, when did you fall for him?"

Hanako "Eh!?"

I can tell that my face has erupted into a fiery blush. Ichigo laughs so hard that she nearly falls out of her chair.

Rika "Ara ara. What an adorable expression."

Hanako "H-how did you find out?"

I can't stop myself from stuttering with embarrassment. This seems to further amuse her.

Riku "You made it really obvious, Hana-chan. You kept looking over at him the entire time we were eating."

I lay my head face down on the table and groan.

Riku "Still, I can't say I'm surprised. He's a very wonderful boy, as long as you stay on his good side, anyway."

Ichigo "What are you talking about, Mom? We both know that he's a sociopath."

Riku grins even wider, border-lining a Cheshire cat grin.

Riku "Are you sure about that? Aren't you just upset at the idea of another girl coming along to steal your _Onii-chan_ away?"

Ichigo "_Awawawawa_!"

Ichigo flushes a deep red color that probably rivals my own. She runs up to her mother and tries to silence her. They end up in a poke war that could put WWI to shame. Well, not really, but was pretty fast and violent. After they finish their little scuffle, Ichigo runs out of the room with embarrassment.

Riku "Anyway, back to the original question. When did you fall for him?"

When? That's a good question. I don't every know the answer myself. I've only known him for a couple of days, but when did it start? At some point, I just started wanting to wrap my arms around him and stay that way. I just wanted to tell him to stay by my side forever, and I wanted to hear him say the same to me. I remember the words Lilly told me once again.

_"You need to have confidence in yourself, Hanako. Regardless of your scars, you will find someone who looks past them and sees what a beautiful person you are."_

Hanako "I... don't really know when it happened. I guess at some point, I realized I had feelings for him."

Riku "Oh! Hana-chan, you're so adorable!"

My face gets even hotter at her compliment. I begin babbling incoherently. I guess there are some things you can't change.

Riku "Well, that's enough teasing for now..."

She stops smiling and puts on a serious face.

**BGM: Stride**

Riku "What do you plan to do about it?"

Hanako "I've already made a move. I asked him if we could go shopping together friday."

Riku "But there's a bigger obstacle than his ignorance. What do you know about Miko?"

I'm surprised that she just brought it up like that. I thought it was a taboo thing to bring up in this house.

Hanako "I... know that she was Kuroki's girlfriend, and that... she's no longer here."

She searches my face for a minute, and nods. She walks into the kitchen and brings back two things: A can of beer, and a photo. She cracks open the beverage and takes a long swig from it before handing me the photo.

Riku "This is her."

I look down at the photo in my hand. Kuroki and Miko are standing side-by-side in the winter snow. The girl named Miko is embracing Kuroki from the side with a blissful smile on her face. Kuroki has a full-face blush and a look of surprise, which nearly makes him almost entirely unrecognizable. I've never seen Kuroki be this expressive.

The girl is roughly a head shorter than Kuroki. She has short black hair, hazel eyes, and a large round pair of glasses. They're both wearing the same high school uniform. It's the same uniform that Kuroki has worn in Yamaku for the past few days.

I look up from the photo to see Riku wearing a grim expression.

Riku "This photo was taken only a month before the accident."

I gasp quietly in shock.

Riku "I'm sure you've thought about this already, but Kucchan only came out of a comatose state three months ago. To him, it's as if he only lost Miko three months ago. We, however, have been without her for a year, so we've already had time to mourn."

Hanako "That's... what I figured."

Riku "To tell the truth, he might not be emotionally prepared for another relationship. He might put on a strong front, but Miko's death left a scar on all of our hearts, and I know that he already has more scars than anyone could deserve."

Hanako "...Why are you telling me this?"

She downs the rest of her beverage and looks at me.

Riku "I'm asking you to just keep treating him however you always have. If you are seriously considering a relationship with my son, please be careful. I don't think he can take another heartbreak like this."

Hanako "I understand, Riku-san"

Riku "I know this sounds hostile, but I assure you it isn't meant to be. Do not try to replace her. Miko was family to us, and nobody can replace her."

Hanako "I had no intention of doing that, Riku-san."

I know what it's like to lose the people closest to you. After I woke up in the hospital and asked to see my parents, I was told that I couldn't see them. Even as a child, I already knew that they were gone, but the doctors kept quiet about their deaths. They didn't tell me until a week afterwards. When they told me, I couldn't say much more than "I already knew". This didn't make losing them any less painful, though.

My thoughts are interrupted when I hear someone walk into the room at that moment.

Kuroki "Bath's free."

It's Kuroki. He walks into the room wearing a pair of track shorts and a T-shirt that has a weird stained-glass kinda pattern on the front. He has a towel around his neck, and his hair is still a little damp. He's not wearing his eyepatch, either.

That's when I notice the scars. Long, painful looking scars that run up, across, and around his arms. Unlike my scars, these ones were caused by a sharp object, and were most certainly caused intentionally. Kuroki notices my shocked stare but doesn't say anything.

Kuroki "Who's getting in next?"

Riku "I'll show Hanako to the bath. Could you clean up the rest of the dishes?"

Kuroki nods and gathers the dishes from the table. As he collects the plate that's in front of me, I notice two small white scars on his wrist. Normally he wears a watch over his left wrist. Kuroki walks into the kitchen with dishes in hand. His mother stands up and motions for me to follow her.

Riku "The bathroom is this way. Follow me."

* * *

20:10

**BGM: Raindrops and Puddles**

Ichigo "How do they fit?"

Hanako "They're a bit tight."

I'm going to be sharing a bed with Ichigo tonight. She's lent me a pair of her pajamas to use, but they are a bit... constricting. Especially around the chest area.

Ichigo "Well, sorry about that. Everything I have is for flatchested loli support characters like me."

She pouts at me, or rather, my chest. I fold my arms in front of my chest to hide it from her.

Hanako "Don't stare..."

Ichigo "And I thought that lolis were the only ones that Kuroki went for..."

Hanako "What do you mean?"

Ichigo "Well, I assume that Mom told you about Miko, right?"

I pause for a moment before answering.

Hanako "Y-yeah, she showed me a picture, too."

Ichigo "Then you might have noticed that she barely had any chest to speak of."

A very disturbing silence follows.

Hanako "I was more focused on her facial features than her cup size... And isn't it really cruel for you to say that about someone who isn't alive?"

Ichigo "No, not really. She didn't really care too much about breast size after Kuroki did _that_."

Hanako "Did... what?"

Ichigo "_That._ You know, sexual intercourse?"

Hanako "_Hauu!_"

Hearing someone say "They had sex" so bluntly is probably the easiest way to turn me red. Ichigo notices this and laughs.

Ichigo "I'm joking! What he did was much less lewd than that. One day, back when Miko was worried about her figure, she asked Kuroki about it..."

* * *

Two years ago, Tuesday, 10:00

**BGM: High Tension**

_Be... Be... Be..._

What's that sound? It sounds like it's very far away, but I can tell it's not a good sound. I can hear something rustling in the leaves a few meters away.

_Bee.. Bee.. Bee.._

Ichigo "Oh shit. Time to run."

I let out a burst of foul language and run in the opposite direction from the noise. My attempts are in vain, as I can hear it closing in on me. The hair on the back of my neck raises, and I can smell the creature's breath now. It smells like bacon.

Wait, what?

**BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.**

**BGM: Air Guitar**

I wake up in my room.

Ichigo "Oh, It was just a dream."

I sit up and look at my surroundings.

Ichigo "That's right. We're at the vacation home still."

Our vacation home. We come here every year for summer vacation because it's a quiet town that's perfect for relaxing in.

I slip out of bed and pull on a robe, yawning as I walk to the door and open it. As I walk into the kitchen, I nearly bump into my brother.

Kuroki "Woah. Careful, Ishi."

Upon closer inspection, he's cooking food. Eggs, pancakes, and bacon... "

Ichigo "Aniki, why are you cooking this early in the morning?"

Kuroki "Ahh, well, Miko stayed up late taking care of me, so I figured I would make a little something for her. Just to surprise her."

I reach for a slice of bacon, only to have Kuroki give me one of his trademark "death glares" that he's know so well at school for. It could probably make a grown man shit himself. I withdraw my hand and try not to run away in terror. His face instantly turns into a sunny smile, possibly even more terrifying than his death glare.

Kuroki "Glad you understand."

That's when Miko walks in. She's walking a little funny, but I write it off as her being sleepy.

Miko "G-good morning, Kuroki."

Kuroki "...Good morning."

...Okay, something's up. Even Kuroki looks a bit awkward, and that's as rare as a penguin in a desert. I'm about to speak up when Mom walks into the room. When she walks past Miko, she pauses for a moment before giving her a knowing smile and walking into the living room without a word.

Kuroki "Why don't you go ahead and take a seat at the table? Breakfast will be done soon."

He speaks a bit gentler than he normally does. I can just make out a small smile on his face.

Miko "I... actually wanted to watch you cook."

Kuroki "If that's what you want, I don't mind."

Riku "Psst!"

My mother appears out of nowhere without Kuroki noticing and motions me to come to her. I follow her into the living room. She speaks in a hushed tone.

Riku "Give them a little alone time. This morning is special to them."

Ichigo "What do you mean?"

Riku "I'll tell you when you're older."

Kuroki and Miko walk together to the table and set down a tray of food.

Riku "Uwaaaah! Pancakes, too? You outdid yourself this morning, Kucchan."

During the meal, there's absolute silence. It's not difficult to figure out who's the cause. Miko keeps switching her gaze from Kuroki to her food. She finally manages to speak.

Miko "Ku-kuroki."

Kuroki "Y-yeah?"

Holy crap, he stuttered!

Miko "Are you happy being with me? I mean, I'm not the best looking-"

Without warning, Kuroki reaches across the table and flicks Mom on the forehead.

Riku "_Au!_"

Kuroki "This is your fault."

Riku "Well, I won't deny that."

He turns to Miko and, with a complete pokerface, says the following words:

Kuroki "I love you, Miko. I will never leave your side, regardless of your figure or looks."

Miko "Ahh..."

Miko goes entirely silent as a full-face blush creeps up her face. I can see a small smile playing on her lips.

Miko "...Thank you."

* * *

Wednesday, 20:25

**Present day**

**BGM: Raindrops and Puddles**

Hanako "He said that? In front of you and Riku-san?"

Ichigo "Without so much as a hint of embarrassment."

Kuroki used to be much more lively back then, huh? He's gotten more lively since he transferred here and was found out. Is he having fun here? Is he suffering? I ask myself these questions for no particular reason.

That reminds me. I did take a bath with Ichigo a while ago. For obvious reasons, I was hesitant about bathing with her. I noticed that once I got in, she hardly paid any attention to my scars. She was more fixated on my bust size than my scarring. Riku didn't even flinch when she saw the scars, and she got _really_ close to my face when she was examining me. I get the feeling I shouldn't ask, but my curiosity get the better of me.

Hanako "Hey, Ichigo. I know this is probably an awkward subject to talk about, but I noticed that nobody was shocked by my scarring. Why is that?"

She flops onto the bed and looks at the ceiling, trying to find the words for her thoughts.

Ichigo "Well, you're wrong when you say that it's an awkward subject to talk about. Back when Moroha was still married to my mother, I would treat the wounds he gave Aniki. I guess at some point, I got used to seeing the scars pile up. That's depressing, though. It's almost the same as getting used to other's suffering."

She continues on. She tells me about the time that her mother found out about it. She tells me about the time that Moroha found out about Miko. She tells me everything up until the accident.

Ichigo "You know, you could ask Kuroki about this. He'd probably have told you without even batting an eye."

Hanako "Well..."

Ichigo stares into my eyes for a while before speaking.

Ichigo "You don't want him to ask about your past?"

I unintentionally inhale sharply.

Ichigo "That's what I thought. He's very roundabout when it comes to almost everything. He seems as dense as a brick sometimes, but that brain of his is always in overdrive. Odds are, he knows you won't be comfortable if he asks about that, so he won't ask. Hell, I'm sure he's aware you have feelings for him, but he isn't showing it."

Hanako "Why would he do that?"

Ichigo "Well, I think he's just not ready for another relationship yet. Some people never move on once they've lost a loved one. Aniki has always been a strong person, so I wouldn't be surprised if it took him just a few months, but it's only been three for him."

She sits up and grabs the glass of water on her nightstand, taking a sip before continuing.

Ichigo "Then again, he might just be afraid of getting too close, and then losing you. It's normal for a person to avoid love at all costs after something like that. Though I doubt that's the case with Aniki. Another reason he's playing dumb might be because you don't suit his tastes."

Hanako "What does he look for in a girl?"

She looks at me and bursts out laughing.

Ichigo "Not even _I_ know the answer to that. All I know is that his criteria has nothing to do with looks. I asked him once."

Hanako "What did he say?"

Ichigo "That he didn't know, either."

We both stare at each other for a moment, then laugh.

Ichigo "I would be careful if I were you, though. You're not the only one who has feelings for him."

For a moment, the words echo in my ears.

_That white-haired girl from a few days ago... Was that the reason she made me feel uneasy?_

_What was her name again? Akari... Akane? Aizawa Akane was her name._

Ichigo "There are rumors that he's going out with a second year named Aizawa. But you know how unreliable rumors like that are. She's probably the same person who confessed."

Hanako "You remember the girl with long white hair you saw monday?"

Ichigo "Oh, that's her? Yeah, after looking both of you over, I instantly knew that you both were crushing on the same person."

Hanako "What? How?"

Ichigo "Well, it's simple. I have feelings for Aniki too."

Hanako "...But aren't you guys siblings?"

Ichigo "Not by blood. As of a week ago, we're not siblings by law, either. There would be no moral or legal issues if I were to begin a relationship with him."

Hanako "Wait, doesn't that mean I'm your rival?"

She snorts bitterly, looking upset all of a sudden.

Ichigo "Hardly. He's already made it clear that I'll never be anything more than a sibling. So instead of keeping you two apart out of spite, I'll help you."

Hanako "I would like to try to do it on my own..."

Ichigo "...You're a very nice person, Hanako. I hope you manage to get your feelings across to him, at the very least."

She gives me a kind smile and lays back down next to me. After a few minutes, I hear her quietly breathing, signalling that she has fallen asleep.

Hanako "Thank you, Ichigo."

She's such a nice girl, too. In a way, I feel a little sad that she got rejected. I think that they would've made a great couple. I turn over and snuggle up against her.

_I envy Kuroki. I want a little sister like this one._

* * *

**I'm sorry I took so long with this chapter. I won't make any excuses since I've been procrastinating with my favorite (harem) anime.**

**Also, I plan on making more than one ending for this fanfic (You know, like the original VN).**

**I'm going to stick a poll on my profile page for a while. Whoever gets the top three places will get a three chapter arc*. However, anyone who gets 4th place or lower will not get an arc (It's nothing personal, I just can't put together that many different endings with the limited skill I have).**

***I won't be including certain characters in this poll. PM me if you want to know why I've excluded certain characters.**

**The poll will close at 12:00 Pacific Time on August 15th.**

**I'll probably be very slow to release next chapter (Sorry T_T).**


	17. Act II, Part VI

**Previously on To Lose Something:**

**BGM: Passing of Time**

_Hanako "Why is everyone dressed like that?"_

_Ichigo "Grab a jacket and an eyepatch if you want to find out!"_

_Riku "So, when did you fall for him?"_

_Hanako "Eh!?"_

_Hanako "What does he look for in a girl?"_

_Ichigo "Not even I know the answer to that question."_

Kuroki "Flashback time is over, let's get back to the story now."

Everyone "Hai!"

* * *

Thursday, 06:00

**MISSION START**

**BGM: Off**

There's only one van in front of the school, and there's nobody around it as far as I can tell. I still have to be careful not to get spotted.

My bike is still chained to the rack inside the school gate. I had to leave it here last night in order to get away. I'll have to bite the bullet and ride it home today, even if there's a news van stalking me.

I sigh to myself.

Kuroki "This is why I really didn't want everyone to know."

Ichigo "What are you grumbling about?"

Kuroki "Nothing. You two go on ahead. I'll meet up with you later."

Hanako "What are you going to-"

**BGM: Hokobi**

I turn to the wall next to me. It's roughly 2.5 meters tall. I back up a few steps to get a running start and vault over the wall that surrounds Yamaku. I bend my knees upon landing in order to lessen the impact. (I don't know how parkour works in real life, so please don't get mad at me if that's not how it's done.)

Ichigo "_Muuu-KIIIIIIIIIII! _Don't _do_ that!"

Hanako "_U-uwah... _He hardly even put any effort into it..."

Kuroki "I don't know why you get all bent out of shape when I jump a wall like that."

Ichigo "You know full well why it pissed me off!"

I chuckle to myself and walk to the school building.

**MISSION ACCOMPLISHED**

* * *

13:10

**BGM: Parity**

Hisao "You're evil."

...Is what Hisao says after I tell him what happened before class today. Me, Hisao, and Hanako are gathered in a circle around my desk making small talk.

Kuroki "Well, my name does mean 'Black Tree'."

Hisao "What does that have to do with it?"

Kuroki "Come on. The Root of All Evil? Do you pay any attention to history class? My name was inspired by 'The Root of All Evil'."

Hanako "You mean the English novel [The Root of All Evil]?"

Kuroki "Yeah. That's how my father named me. Although at the time, he wasn't aware that 'Kuroki' is usually a surname, and not a given name. Whenever I introduced myself in western order, people thought I had done it in normal order."

Hanako "You mean they thought your surname was Kuroki and your given name Makina."

Kuroki "Correct. It caused some misunderstandings for a while."

Hisao "I still don't get have it inspired your name."

Kuroki "...Black tree. Tree root. Root of All Evil.' Get it now?"

Hisao "Was he trying to imply that you would be evil?"

Kuroki "No. I think he just failed at trying to make my name cool."

Hanako giggles. Hisao shakes his head, bemused.

Hanako "...Kuroki, I have a personal question for you."

**BGM: Off**

I hesitate for a moment.

Then I remember that I promised something important to myself a while back.

_If someone ever asks me what my life was like before Yamaku, I'll grin and say "complete chaos"._

In other words, I told myself not to hold back. I told myself to answer any question pertaining to my past, regardless of how uncomfortable it is.

Kuroki "Shoot."

Hanako "Was your father... always like that? Always obsessed with raising you the way he did?"

Well, she's right when he said it was a personal question. I think back through the haze of memories. Was there ever a time like that? Was there ever a time that my father was a person I could call a parent?

Kuroki "Come, I'll tell you on the way to the tearoom."

**BGM: Lullaby of Open Eyes**

We head for our usual lunch spot as I think back. Only one memory sticks out among them. A very precious memory... from before Mother passed away.

Kuroki "It was a time when I was still in Scotland. Me and my parents were fishing during my father's day off."

_Moroha "You need to be patient when doing this part. Patient and accurate. Reel too fast and you'll scare the fish away. Keep it nice and slow, and wait until you feel it tug."_

_Kuroki "Ah! I can feel it pulling!"_

Kuroki "He was teaching me how to fish. I managed to hook a fish on my first try."

_Moroha "Now! Reel it!"_

_Splash!_

Kuroki "The fish was evidently bigger than we though, I got yanked off the dock, and my father jumped in after me."

_Fiona "Ahh!"_

Kuroki "My mother, who was sitting next to us exclaimed in shock as my father burst out of the water holding my up in his arms. I was holding a very large salmon in my arms."

_Moroha "Well done, little fish wrestler!"_

Kuroki "I can remember his laughing face as I wrestled to keep the fish in my grip."

They're both entirely silent.

Hisao "I see."

Kuroki "But... the times I could call him 'Dad' are long gone. As are the times he called me 'Son'. The man that I called 'Dad' is gone."

Hisao frowns at this.

Hanako "Are you sure about that?"

Kuroki "What do you mean?"

Hanako "Wouldn't you like to have those times back, though?"

I stop for a moment and look back.

Kuroki "You're quite meddlesome, you know that?"

Hanako, giggles again. She seems to understand that I wasn't serious. I notice only a few seconds later that I can feel my heart at ease as I tell them this.

Hanako "_Gomen, gomen_. I didn't mean to pry that much."

I grin back at them and continue walking. I guess telling them helps get it off my chest. Every time I tell someone around me a story about my past, I can feel my burden grow a little lighter. Just little.

Kuroki "Well... in a way, you're right. There's little I wouldn't give for that..."

But I can't forgive him for what he's done to me. I understand that my mother's death was the trigger for his abuse, but he should have handled it better. I can say this because I handled it far better than he did. However, I can't deny that at one point, he was the father I loved and admired.

Kuroki "We're the same in that we've both lost precious loved ones. In a way, I guess I pity him. But..."

Even now, I feel my hate for him loosen it's grip. It takes me a moment to realize that a small smile has crept onto my face. Maybe Hanako's right. Maybe there's still hope that I can return to those times.

Kuroki "Well, satisfied now?"

Hanako "Yeah, I'm satisfied."

**BGM: Daylight**

Kuroki "Tell me, Hisao. What's your father like?"

Hisao "Hmm. He's kinda energetic. I used to play soccer with my friends back at my other school, and my dad would often help me practice goalkeeping and shooting."

Kuroki "I'm pretty sure this school has a soccer club. Why don't you try that out?"

Hisao "Well, I would, but I can't. My condition makes doing that kind of stuff dangerous."

Kuroki "Hmm, that's too bad. I think I would go insane if I couldn't write."

Hisao "Me and you are on two different levels. I never got that much into soccer, so I can live without it. You, on the other hand, are devoted to it."

Kuroki "Do you have hobby you've gotten really addicted to?"

Hisao "Reading. Picked it up in the hospital."

Kuroki "Ah. You did mention that at some point. Same here. Reading is as important as writing to me. You should've seen my hospital room during my stay."

Hisao "What did you read?"

Kuroki "Everything."

Hanako looks confused for a moment. Hisao speaks up on her behalf.

Hisao "Clarify that now."

Kuroki "Sci-fi, mystery, crime, drama, romance, self-help, tabloids, newspapers, magazines, weapon manuals, martial arts guides, culture, sign-language guides, porn mags, manga, fiction and non-fiction. Everything."

Hanako's face turns red at my mention of porn mags.

Hisao "...A few of those sound somewhat questionable, but I get your point."

Kuroki "What about you?"

Hisao "I'm more of a sci-fi fan, myself."

Hanako "I prefer mysteries and crime. Non-fiction as well.

Kuroki "I did notice that you're fantastic during Mutou-sensei's lectures, Hisao. I had a bit of trouble understanding a few of his lessons."

Hisao "Yeah, but as you might have noticed, I'm pretty bad at English and History."

Kuroki "By the way, I forgot to say this, but your English is actually very nice, Hanako. Does Lilly teach you?"

**BGM: Off**

We arrive at the tearoom door to find that it's already open. I can hear a very loud and cheerful voice inside.

_Oh please, god. Don't let it be Misha._

Kuroki "Hold that thought. Stay here. I'll check for pink-haired drill monsters."

Hanako giggles at my mean jab towards Misha's hairstyle. Hisao just sighs.

Hisao "Go ahead. I don't feel like talking to Shizune because it always feels like she's trying to get inside my head."

I walk into the room and announce my presence.

Kuroki "Hello, Shiina. Hello, Class Prez. Is there something I can help you with?"

Misha "Heya, Kuccha- no, I mean Kuroki."

Shizune "Hello, Kuroki. We were just explaining to the representative of class 3-3 that you're not allowed to use empty classrooms as you please."

**BGM: Shadow of the Truth**

I look at Lilly and do a double take. Usually, she does a good job of keeping her emotions from showing when she's upset or angry, but I can tell right now by looking at her that she's on the verge of tears.

An unpleasant memory forces it's way into my mind. I clench my fists so tightly that I feel a sharp pain as the wound on my left hand reopens underneath the bandage.

_**...How dare you, Shizune.**_

_**How dare you.**_

I walk over to Lilly and take her hand in my uninjured one. I try to keep myself from showing how angry I am. I speak in a soft, barely audible voice.

Kuroki "Lilly? Do you think you could wait outside the room with Hisao and Hanako?"

Lilly nods silently and walks out of the room. As I close the door, I hear a sob. Shizune doesn't have the benefit of judging tone of voice. If she did, she would be as frightened as Misha is. I motion for Misha to not to translate what I'm about to say.

I walk up towards Shizune until I'm roughly one and a half meters away. I start to sign.

Kuroki "Do you find some enjoyment in harassing my friends? Be honest."

Shizune smirks at me and signs back.

Shizune "School rules state that you are not allowed to use empty classrooms for anything but classes and-"

Kuroki "That's not what I'm talking about. Do you enjoy bullying my friends? Answer. Yes or no."

Shizune glares at me. Obviously annoyed that I cut her off. I can feel myself being pushed to the breaking point. She continues on her little speech. I can tell she's taunting me by the way she smiles.

Shizune "At any rate, your actions will be reported to your homeroom teacher and parents-"

That's when I let my wrath take control. I close the distance between us rapidly until we're but a few centimeters apart. I draw back my right hand and slap her across the face. Now I have her full undivided attention.

Kuroki "**No. Shut the hell up and listen to me.** How dare you, Hakamichi Shizune. How _dare_ you attack my friends."

Shizune takes a step back with a shocked look on her face. I can hear Shiina gasp.

Kuroki "I didn't want to hit you, but you forced my hand. After attacking Lilly, you knowingly and openly provoked me. I responded maturely, but you continued to provoke me as if it were all some sort of game to you, and now I've reached my limit with you. You've hurt an important friend of mine, and in doing so, have successfully pissed me off."

Shizune looks like she's somewhere between fearful and annoyed.

Shizune "Are you threatening me?"

Kuroki "Yes, I am. If you saw someone verbally abusing Shiina, how would you feel? I bet you would do everything in your power to make the person who attacked her suffer, am I right?"

Shizune is about to sign something but stops, then nods.

Kuroki "Then you understand now. You're in the wrong here.

Shizune looks over at Misha.

Misha "I'm afraid he's right, Shicchan. You went too far this time."

Shizune closes her eyes for a moment and nods again.

Shizune "I understand."

Kuroki "Before you go, One more thing."

Shizune turns around and meets eyes with me. I deliver my next words with cold precision.

Kuroki "I do not want to be your enemy, Shizune. But I will _make_ you regret it if you hurt Lilly again. Do not test me on this. Am I making myself clear?"

Shizune looks a little concerned for a moment before nodding and returning her expression to that of a mask.

Kuroki "As for the room issue; There's no problem as long as we get permission from a teacher, correct?"

Shizune pauses for a moment.

Shizune "There might be some conditions, but as long as you get consent from a teacher, there's no problem with you using this room."

I take a deep breath and let it out.

Kuroki "...Thank you. That sounds a little more like what a Student Council member would say."

Shizune quietly turns around and walks out, rubbing her cheek and wincing. Misha follows behind her.

As she walks out the door, I'm reminded of my wound. I look down at my left hand. A trail of red liquid is leaking out from underneath the bandage. It quietly drips onto the floor as I remain motionless.

* * *

13:15

A few seconds after Kuroki enters the room, Lilly walks out, and the door closes behind her.

Just as the door is about to close, Lilly lets out a sob.

Hanako "Lilly!"

When I run up to her and grab her hand, the floodgates open. As the tears fall down her cheeks, she heaves large, quiet sobs. Seeing my best friend cry like this...

...is absolutely heartbreaking.

I support her as her knees give out. I sit down next to her and wrap my arms around her. I can feel tears begin to fall from my eyes. I silently let them fall as I tighten my embrace around Lilly.

Hisao "Oh my god. What happened?"

Hisao recovers from the shock and walks over. He crouches down next to her, takes her hand and squeezes it gently. This has a calming effect on Lilly. She wraps her free arm around my back and returns the embrace.

A minute later, Shizune walks out of the room while rubbing a large red spot on her cheek. Misha stops and lets Shizune walk away. She bends down and speaks.

Misha "Lilly. It's me, Misha. I'm sorry for saying those things to you. It was far out of line, and it was inexcusable. Will you forgive me?"

By now, Lilly has calmed down enough to speak.

Lilly "It's alright, Misha. They were not your words."

Misha "Thank you. Even so. I'm still the one who said them, which means I'm still at fault. Take care, Lilly."

**BGM: Off**

She stands back up unsteadily and walks in the direction Shizune was going.

Kuroki walks out of the room with his face shadowed. As he crouches down, I catch a glimpse of his face.

_Angry._

There weren't any signs of it on his face, but I can tell that he's furious.

In a very gentle, almost inaudible voice, he speaks.

Kuroki "Are you alright, Lilly?"

Lilly stand up and nods. Kuroki lays his right hand on her shoulder.

Kuroki "I'm sorry you had to experience that, Lilly."

Lilly "It's not your fault."

Hisao "Don't beat yourself up, Kuroki. Shizune's always been like that."

I look at Kuroki's other hand and see that it's dripping blood.

Hanako "K-kuroki! You're bleeding!..."

He lifts up his bandaged hand and looks at it.

**BGM: Parity**

Kuroki "Oh, this? It's a two-day old cut. I got it while cleaning dishes. I guess it reopened at some point."

A drop of crimson falls to the floor.

Hisao winces.

Hisao "Right. Hanako, will you take Kuroki to the nurse's office? That looks like it needs to be checked out."

Kuroki "That's not necessa-"

Hanako "Yeah."

Kuroki sighs in defeat as I grab his arm firmly and pull him in the direction of the first floor.

* * *

13:20

Arriving at the nurse's office, I find that the head nurse is off-duty. The sign on the door says he'll be gone for the next ten minutes. I push the door open despite Kuroki's protests.

Hanako "Wait a moment."

I've been here enough times to know where the nurse keeps the disinfectant and bandages. I open the far left bottom drawer on the nurse's desk and grab the items I'm looking for.

Hanako "Sit here while I fix you up."

Kuroki does as he's told with an uncomfortable look on his face. I gently peel off the bandaging wrapped around his hand. The cut is pretty bad looking, but I can tell that as far as cuts go, this one isn't that serious unless there's an infection. I wet a paper towel and wipe away the blood from his wound, followed by me applying disinfectant. I wrap it with the new bandage, and I'm finished.

**BGM: Wiosna**

Kuroki "That... wasn't needed... But thank you."

He gives me a soft smile that proves infectious. I can feel a smile on my face as I gently hold Kuroki's freshly bandaged hand.

I look into his brown eye and he smiles wider in response.

_Now... is your chance._

I feel my face moving steadily towards Kuroki's. He looks confused until I'm close enough to feel his breath. He stares into my eyes from a mere few centimeters away. His look of confusion is swapped out with a spaced-out kind of look. By now, my heart has unconsciously begun to beat fast and hard. He starts to move as well.

And just when we're about to meet...

**BGM: Hokobi**

The door slams open.

Kuroki backs off, and so do I. We manage to get far apart enough that the person who walked in doesn't think anything of it.

Emi "Hey, sunshine!"

Kuroki "Sakuya's off-duty right now, so you'll have to wait."

Emi "Eh?"

The girl is Ibarazaki Emi. The same girl that Kuroki accidentally clotheslined in the hallway.

Kuroki "And furthermore, you shouldn't just bust in like that. What if someone was getting sutures?"

Emi "You mean stitches? They don't do stitches here."

Kuroki "Really? Then how come there's a suture kit in the medical drawer?"

Kuroki points to the drawer I opened a few minutes ago.

Emi walks over and opens it. Sure enough, there's a hospital quality suture kit in the back of the drawer. Even I didn't notice that.

Kuroki "And who's 'Sunshine'?"

Emi "It's a joke between me and the nurse. Don't think too much about it."

As Kuroki stands up from the examination table, the nurse walks in.

Nurse "Hello, sunshine. I won't be a minute, I just have to find some cold medicine."

As he passes Emi, It seems that he notices us.

Nurse "Ah, Kuroki. Perfect timing. I was going to call you for a checkup once I finished."

He turns around and digs through the medical drawer. He pulls out a large bottle of pills and pours a few of them into a smaller bottle. He hands the smaller bottle to Emi and puts the larger one away.

Nurse "Make sure to tell her the maximum dosage and such. I don't doubt she would simply down the whole bottle otherwise."

Emi "Thanks!"

She turns around and bolts. Kuroki and the nurse open their mouths and shout simultaneously.

Both "_Don't run, goddammit!_"

The door slams shut. Leaving the room silent.

**BGM: Ah Eh I Oh You**

Nurse "Christ. First Nakai, and now you. I wonder how many people she's run into now."

Kuroki "I don't think Hisao was first, you know."

Nurse "Oh, I was talking about the people who screamed at her with me, not the people she's run into."

Hanako "Sunshine?"

Nurse "That's a little joke between us. Don't read into it too much."

Kuroki "Funny. Emi said something similar."

Nurse "Right then. Ikezawa, would you mind waiting here while I check Kuroki in the next room over?"

Hanako "I don't mind."

Kuroki walks into the exam room and the nurse follows suit, closing the door behind them.

* * *

13:20

He carefully undoes the bandage wrapped around my hand and takes a close look at the cut.

Sakuya "Hmm. This has been well treated. Recently, too. Is that why you came here?"

Kuroki "Yeah. I got the cut a few days back, and it only reopened today. Hanako treated it."

Sakuya pauses for a moment.

Sakuya "Ikezawa treated it?"

Kuroki "Yeah. No pain. She should be a physician."

Sakuya "Her grades during health class are always straight A's, but I didn't think she was this good."

Kuroki "Anything else?"

He gingerly wraps the bandaging and stands up.

Sakuya "Any fatigue attacks recently? Insomnia? Depression?"

Kuroki "Nothing of the sort."

Sakuya "Excellent. You're done. Would you like a sticker or a lollipop?"

I put on a silly face and speak like a baby.

Kuroki "Gwape pwease."

Sakuya "...That was a joke. I don't actually have any lollipos or stickers."

Kuroki "Then don't offer them."

We chuckle at the badly made joke and leave the examination room. Hanako is sitting in one of the waiting chairs. Upon re-entering the office, she stands up.

Kuroki "It was fast. You should be a doctor."

She blushes slightly from my compliment.

Hanako "T-thank you."

Sakuya "Now then, if that's everything, you may leave now. I have a bit of work to do."

Kuroki "Right then. Should we get going? Those two are probably waiting for us."

**BGM: Off**

Hanako "Actually, I... I..."

Her face is a deep shade of red.

Kuroki "I?"

Suddenly, I remember one of the stories that Hisao told me about.

Hanako "I'vegottagodosomething!"

She bolts out of the door with a speed that could rival Emi.

I know full well why she did, too.

The thing that happened just a few moments ago pushes itself into my mind, despite my attempts to force it into the back of my head.

Sakuya "What was that all about?"

Kuroki "Well..."

I find myself at a loss for words.

_I didn't expect her to make the first move._

_And... why was I completely okay with it?_

_Why was I disappointed that Emi interrupted us?_

Of course, I already know the answer to this question. I would rather not think about it though. I need more time. More time...

Damnit!... Now isn't... the time...

Sakuya "Kuroki?"

My knees buckle and my senses give way.

_God, I hate narcolepsy._

* * *

**Hey all. Writer here!**

**Sorry if you didn't enjoy the emotional roller-coaster I put in this chapter. I had all kinda of feels because I had recently finished watching the scene in Suisei no Gargantia where (SPOILER ALERT!) CHAMBER sacrifices himself to safe Ledo (I cried brick tears of sorrow. You will live on in my memory forever, CHAMBER).**

**Just wanted to let you guys know that we're only a week away from the poll deadline.**

**So far, Hanako and Akane are tied for first, followed by Akira, Ichigo, and Misha! (Shizune will probably stay in last because of this chapter. I feel sorry for her. -_-)**

**If there's no conclusive vote, I'll just pick randomly from the ones that are tied.**

**Lastly, please note that I'm also nearing the day of KurokixHanako's date on friday.**

**I will now confirm this now: Yes, Kuroki does have feelings for Hanako. But as you can see, he's trying to keep them at bay. You'll probably find out why in the next chapter.**

**The common route will end at the end of ACT II, and then it will split off into the character arcs.**

**Keep in mind that Kuroki is sort of a flagship character for me, so I'll probably use him in fanfictions outside of the KS universe.**

**If you have any questions/suggestions/criticisms, please review or PM me! I've almost watching my inbox (because I'm lonely).**

**Until then, stay Frosty!**

**-Writer**

**P.S: You should try out Suisei no Gartantia. Good anime.**


	18. Act II, Part VII

19:40

I wake to the sound of my stomach growling. I look out the window and see sun sun slowly dipping under the horizon.

Kuroki "..."

**BGM: Raindrops and Puddles.**

I quietly sit up and look at the clock on the nightstand.

7:40 PM

I push my legs off the bed and look around. My eyepatch is sitting right next to the clock.

Kuroki "I'm in the Nurse's office."

I tend to state the obvious whenever I wake up. I turn back to the clock and notice that my eyepatch looks... different. In fact, it's a different eyepatch altogether. It's somehow familiar, yet...

Kuroki "Oh god. That's an eyepatch that Ishi made for me."

Upon closer inspection, it is, in fact, one of Ichigo's homemade ones. It's the same as my usual white medical eyepatch, but it's black with an encrusted cross charm hanging from the left string. There's a note on the desk next to it.

_The nurse called me in after you passed out._

_There's I left a lunchbox in the staff fridge for you._

_I also left a little present on your desk._

_Love, -Your precious little sister._

_P.S: You might want to get your bike soon. I had to_

_chase off a journalist who was fiddling with it._

I stand up out of bed and sigh while putting the flashy eyepatch on.

Kuroki "Is she still angry about this morning?"

I go through my backpack to make sure nothing is missing. After I ensure that nobody has gone through my belongings, I walk over to the refrigerator in the corner of the room and open it. A small brick-sized box with "Kuroki" written on it stands out among the variety of boxes and pitchers of cool-aid. I pull it out and, after opening it, discover homemade noodles and orange chicken. (Orange chicken is a mouthgasm for me. You should try it sometime.)

I sit down on the bed and eat carefully, so as to not spill on the sheets. Two beds down, I see someone stir and sit up from the corner of my eye. It's Hisao.

Kuroki "Good afternoon."

Hisao "Oh. You're awake?"

Kuroki "You weren't here earlier. When did you get here?"

Hisao "Had a slight mishap on the track. Nurse's orders were for me to rest."

Sakuya "And you followed them to the letter. Glad to see you both awake."

The nurse walks in right as I finish eating.

Kuroki "I can't believe I was out for that long. I messed up."

Sakuya "Narcolepsy is hardly something predictable. We still don't know much about what causes it."

Kuroki "Try brain damage."

Sakuya "That's probably a contributing factor in your case."

He walks over to Hisao and puts on his stethoscope. Hisao unbuttons his shirt, revealing the same scar I saw when I met him the first time. After checking Hisao for about two minutes, he straightens up and smiles, satisfied with the result.

Sakuya "Everything seems normal. How are you feeling?"

Hisao "Tired."

He switches from happy to serious in a matter of seconds.

Sakuya "You didn't show good judgement out there, Hisao. You've got to be more careful. Have you been taking your medicine every morning?"

Hisao's face quickly changes to a look of guilt.

Hisao "I forgot them this morning."

Sakuya sighs, looking very annoyed.

Sakuya "So you're **both** suffering from brain damage. That's a comfort, I guess. No offense, Kuroki."

Kuroki "None taken."

I walk over to the sink and wash out my lunch box while Sakuya chews out Hisao regarding his health.

Kuroki "By the way, Sakuya. Should you really be talking about Hisao's condition in front of others?"

The nurse flinches as if I had shot him instead of remind him about patient confidentiality.

Sakuya "Wait. He hasn't told you his condition?"

Kuroki "Nope. I don't really mind if he keeps that to himself. Although, I do have an idea of what it might be."

Hisao "Well, I haven't really been trying to hide it. Go ahead and tell me what you think it is."

Kuroki "It's some sort of heart problem, correct?"

Hisao "How did you guess?"

Kuroki "Well, I thought it might have been a heart problem since I first met you. You talked about combined side effects of your medication. I also saw your scar."

Hisao "Well, when you put it that way, it seems obvious. It's Arrhythmia. An irregular heartbeat"

**Arrhythmia**: A group of conditions in which the heartbeat is irregular, too fast, or too slow. Most conditions are treatable with surgery and/or medication. An estimated 250,000 people die every year from heart attacks. (Shoutout to JustARandomRussianGuy for correcting me regarding arrhythmia. I hope I didn't screw it up and get it wrong again.)

Kuroki "I see. Arrhythmia is fairly common. I had an old friend that had it."

Hisao "What happened to them?"

**BGM: Parity**

Kuroki "He died at age ninety-four from heart failure. He was, as the Americans say '[Motor-boating a pair of double D's]'."

Both of them stare at me for a long time. Then I remember that Hisao can't understand English very well. Sakuya translates for him.

Sakuya "That's... quite a way to go."

Kuroki "What can I say? He was a very active guy."

Hisao "What scares me is that I could end up dying that way..."

Kuroki "Hmm... Come to think of it, you said you were hospitalized at one point. What caused the attack?"

Hisao "Ehhhh..."

I can tell he'd rather not answer that question, so I quickly retrace my steps in the conversation.

Kuroki "Well, if you don't want to talk about it, that's reasonable."

Hisao "It's kinda like... I literally fell 'head over heels' for someone."

Sakuya takes a moment to understand what Hisao is saying. I immediately understand what he means.

Kuroki "Oh. Yeah, I get the picture. "

Sakuya "Let me go ahead and write that down..."

Hisao "Please leave that unwritten!"

Sakuya "Well, it's important to know the cause of your first attack."

Kuroki "How is that important!?"

Sakuya "W-well, you know..."

I turn around and open the door.

Sakuya "Oh, before you go, I have some medicine for you, as well."

**BGM: Air Guitar**

He walks into the office with me and grabs a bottle from his desk, handing it to me. I shake it and hear the rattle of pills. I turn it over and read the label.

Makina Kuroki

Take two(2) 20mg tablets by mouth daily to assist with moderate/severe depression.

_Citalopram?_

Kuroki "Hey, this stuff would've been fantastic years ago, but I stopped suffering from depression a long time ago."

Sakuya "Really, now? I called your mother yesterday to ask about the circumstances regarding any past medical conditions, and that doesn't seem to be the case."

Kuroki "Meaning you know everything, then."

Sakuya "Yes, that's correct. That includes the weekly therapy session you've had every friday since waking up."

Kuroki "Then you should know that I'm fine without the medication, right?"

Sakuya "I have to take precautions, Kuroki. Nobody's died since I started working here, and I would like to keep it that way."

Kuroki "Fine. Starting tomorrow morning, I'll take the medicine."

He smiles his usual wide grin and claps me on the shoulder lightly.

Sakuya "Good man. Just take one for the first three days, then start taking two, alright?"

Kuroki "I understand."

Sakuya "Your mother said you would be a lot more stubborn about it."

Kuroki "I guess... I've changed."

Sakuya "Yeah. Since coming here you have changed a lot. In a couple of ways."

I smile and shake my head gently.

Kuroki "You're just as nosy and Hanako."

I open the door and walk though, and just before I close it, Sakuya stops me again.

Sakuya "One more thing."

I open the door and look at him. His gaze meets mine and he looks serious for a moment.

Sakuya "Do _not_ stop taking that without letting me know."

I smile, amused at how worried he is about me.

Kuroki "Don't worry. I know how anti-depressants work, 'Nurse'."

Sakuya "Good. Now off you go."

**BGM: Off**

I close the door and put the pills in my bag, slinging it over my shoulder as I turn to see...

Kuroki "Oh. Hello, Akane."

She just stares at me with her mouth slightly open.

Kuroki "I'm just going to throw a wild guess, here. You heard everything, right?"

Akane "...Yeah. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to eavesdrop."

**BGM: Air Guitar**

She's really honest about everything, isn't she? Well, that's not really a bad thing. The way she just says it flat out makes it hard to be even remotely upset with her.

Kuroki "Well, it's hardly something to hide. I'm receiving therapy, but the nurse wants to take precautions."

Akane "...I see."

Kuroki "So, what are you here for?"

Akane "Just a checkup. I had a hole in one of my lungs until a few months ago. I have to make weekly checkups to make sure I'm breathing correctly."

Kuroki "That stinks. I'll wait here. Checkups with this nurse tend to be fast."

Akane "Oh... O-okay."

She walks into the nurse's office.

After the door closes, I open up my backpack and pull out the bottle of pills.

Kuroki "Yeah... This stuff would have been nice to have a couple years back."

Staring at it, I shift my gaze downwards from my bandaged hand to my wrist. I roll up my sleeve to reveal my wristwatch, which I take off.

I lay my eyes on the two white scars that are normally hidden underneath my watch.

Kuroki "Really..."

I strap my watch back on in it's usual place and unroll my sleeve, still looking at my wrist...

* * *

22:00

**Seven years ago.**

**BGM: Nocturne**

A business party.

They've been fairly common ever since mother died.

I'm sitting on the piano bench for a short while. Just a few minutes ago, I finished playing a short number for a few guests.

Kuroki "Father, I wish to use the restroom."

Moroha "Very well. Be back in five minute. Don't accept any drinks."

I give my father a quiet nod and walk towards the restroom. I round the corner just out of his sight. As I pass a group of three rather tipsy gentlemen, I use some slight-of-hand to relieve one of them of their butterfly knife.

_I wonder why I did that?_

I walk into the restroom and head straight to the sink. I turn on the hot water and flick open the knife.

_Oh, now it makes sense._

**BGM: Painful History**

Kuroki "...It was something like this."

The voice that I hear doesn't sound like mine. It sounds almost gleeful in a sickening way.

I run my wrist under the almost-scalding water. I bring the knife over to my wrist and push down slightly.

It's a gold-plated knife. It's something made to show one's wealth, but it's sharp enough that I feel it break the skin.

Kuroki "A little more."

I push down slightly harder and begin a slight sawing motion. The water falling of my wrist turns pink as blood mixes with it. The hot water makes it less painful.

Kuroki "Still not enough."

I take the blade and move it a little further down, creating a second cut with similar precision. The water turns redder as more blood mixes with it.

I start to feel lightheaded, so I sit down leaning against the wall next to the sink as I watch the blood flow freely from my wrist.

I contemplate cutting the other for good measure, but I'm too lightheaded to do anything now.

I hear the door open, followed by a scream and the sound of glass shattering.

I lazily turn my head. As my consciousness dims, I look up at the source of the voice.

Long white hair and blue eyes. A woman who seems to be around the same age as my father.

**BGM: Caged Heart**

As she continues to scream for help, I turn my head away from her, looking at the trail of blood that's flowing to the drain in the center of the room.

I can feel myself being picked up as my consciousness leaves me...

* * *

20:00

**Present day.**

Come to think of it, there's no way Hanako didn't notice the scars poking out from underneath the watch's strap. If she did notice it, she's probably rethinking her feelings for me.

_No. Remember what happened back there?_

That's right, just after she changed my bandages, she...

I feel someone tugging at my sleeve.

Akane "Kuroki? Are you alright?"

**BGM: Raindrops and Puddles**

Kuroki "Yeah, just thinking. I've been doing a lot of that lately."

Akane "You didn't look alright. You looked like you'd seen a ghost."

I force the memory out of my head and turn to my underclassman, bringing my uninjured hand gently to rest on top of her head.

_Maybe the precautions are a good idea after all._

Kuroki "It's alright, I was just thinking about the past."

I say this while gently rubbing the top of her head. She looks up on me with a shy smile on her face. She takes my hand and places it against her cheek.

Kuroki "I forgot to ask. Do you and your sister live nearby? I'm talking about a house, not a dorm."

Akane "We have a room in the nearby city. It's the penthouse of the Cobalt Hotel. Though we usually stay in the school dorms."

Kuroki "Cobalt? That sounds familiar."

Akane "Well, it's a huge business. The Cobalt Hotel I live in isn't half as big as the others because it's not a terribly huge city."

Kuroki "Huh. That's interesting. I'm going into the city tomorrow, so maybe I'll drop by to check it out."

Akane "Me and Yuuki have to visit our parents there tomorrow, so we'll be home then. I'll let them know you're stopping by."

Kuroki "Hmm. Is it alright if I bring a friend?"

Akane "I don't think there'll be a problem with that."

Kuroki "I'll see you tomorrow, then."

I gently remove my hand from her cheek and raise it in farewell as I walk to the front of the school.

I walk out the front door to see the news van pulling out. I heave a sigh of relief and walk to my bike. I look around and under it to make sure nothing's wrong. After ensuring that nobody has spiked my tires, I start up my bike. While it's warming up, I open my cellphone and look through my contacts. I select a friend from the list and press the call button.

After two rings, It picks up.

Callum "[White Dice Cafe, how may I help you?]"

Kuroki "[You're still on duty? Did you take an extra shift or something?]"

**BGM: Parity**

Callum "[Kuroki, my friend, bills do not pay themselves. Besides, my help slacked on me a while ago, and got fired. I'm by myself working the nine-to-five.]"

Kuroki "[It's eight right now, Callum.]"

Callum "[You get what I'm saying, right? Anyway, what's up? I doubt you called to hear the sound of my voice.]"

I grin to myself and deliberately soften my voice.

Kuroki "[And... if I did?]"

Callum "Ah..."

_Kuroki, you ass. Stop teasing her._

Kuroki "[Well, let's put a pin in that conversation for later. I'll be over there in a few minute, so I thought I should let you know.]"

Callum "[Right. Check your drink tonight. Make sure there isn't any cyanide in it.]"

Kuroki "[Don't joke about that. It always sounds like you're serious when you say it.]"

Callum "[The same applies to you, then.]"

_Click!_

**BGM: Off**

Kuroki "Oh dear. I made her mad."

I stow my phone after carefully pulling out of the bike rack. That's when I notice something odd.

_That weird red light wasn't on my bike before._

I reach for it and pull it off. It takes a bit of effort, but before long, I've removed a small black box the size of a matchbox. It has two wires coming from it. One of the wires is hooked to my bike's antenna, and the other is hooked to my battery.

I unhook the wires and reach into the glovebox on the back of my bike, reaching for one of the four walkie-talkies that I have.

I easily hook the wires into the appropriate spots on the walkie-talkie. After a few seconds, the red light on the black box turns back on.

Kuroki "I'm going to make an example of you guys."

I pull out of the gates and quickly speed down the road, heading to the residential area.

* * *

20:10

**BGM: Afternoon**

I pull into the park, making sure I have my bike slowed to a crawl, so as to not bother the elders that are feeding the birds.

I stop for a moment when I see a familiar group of kids playing in the green area of the park. I push down my kickstand and gather the walkie-talkies.

I walk over to the kids and take my helmet off, and the youngest boy in the group, who's probably around twelve, recognizes me instantly.

Tatsuya "Hey! It's Kuroki-nii!"

The rest of the kids shouting at me.

A few years back, I used to hang around this area during my free time. This was before I had met Miko, so I had come to befriend nearly every kid I had met in the park.

I lay my hand ontop of the child's black hair and ruffle it roughly.

Kuroki "Hey, Tatsuya. You've grown a lot."

Tatsuya "Not as much as you! You're taller than my dad!"

I let out a laugh as he speaks excitedly.

Kuroki "Actually, I have a favor to ask..."

* * *

**BGM: Stride**

The man steps out of his vehicle with a weird-looking instrument in his hands.

This instrument is a tracking device of sorts. An hour or so had passed since he had been shooed away from Makina Kuroki's bike by one of the Academy's students. Because he was interrupted, he didn't have time to hide the transmitter properly.

Ahh. Yes, the transmitter. Wired to the antenna and battery of the bike, and allowing the man to track the author's every movement by his own vehicle.

The man smiles to himself as he prides himself on his genius.

Unfortunately for him, he is entirely unaware that he, himself was being hunted by the very person he was hunting.

Journalist "The park? That can't be right. There aren't any tracks on the grass."

And who would drive in a park's grass like that anyway? That's just insane. Even the reporter knows that.

But what he also doesn't know is that he's parked in a fire lane.

And there's an officer only a few blocks away that has received an anonymous tip about a shady-looking white van parked in a fire lane nearby.

The man, blissfully unaware of what's about to happen, uses his tracking device to locate the transmitter.

As he gets closer, he finally notices something amiss. The screen on his device says the transmitter is behind the tree a few meters in front of him.

He walks around the tree to find...

Journalist "A radio?"

He bends down, picks it up, and takes a closer look at it.

The transmitter in question is duct taped and wired onto the handheld. He's about to turn around and leave, when the radio turns on, and a voice speaks.

Radio "Hello, stalker-san."

The man jumps and nearly drops the radio.

Radio "I have a little gift for you."

The man looks all around in a flurry, trying to tell where this said gift would come from.

That's when he looks up and sees a head-sized water balloon only centimeters from his face.

...

The soaking man walks back to his car to see it in the middle of getting towed. A nearby police officer is speaking to a man wearing a black trenchcoat and a helmet.

Journalist "Godamnit."

The man in the helmet turns around and takes off the protective gear, revealing a young-looking face with a pair of heterochromic eyes. The boy with the strange eyes smiles and waves, then puts the helmet back on and drives away on his bike.

The soaked man sighs to himself.

Journalist "That was very well played, writer."

Then he runs to his vehicle to try and keep the authorities from towing it.

* * *

20:15

**BGM: Student Council**

Akira "Here's the usual."

Kuroki "Thank you."

Akira "So, how long have you been coming to this place, Kuroki? This is no place for non-alcoholics."

Kuroki "If been coming here since rehab. This place has good malts, even if they are filled with cyanide."

Akira looks confused for a moment. We're all speaking in English right now, so everyone else in the cafe is giving us strange looks.

Akira "Say what?"

Kuroki "It's just a joke we have going on. Don't think about it too much."

I've come to find out the Akira works here as well. Apparently it's a hobby. Callum is on break, and the Cafe is pretty quiet, so Akira is standing on the other side of the bar wearing an apron and cleaning a mug at a leisurely pace.

Kuroki "You look like a bartender rather than a waitress, Aki-nee."

Akira "This place is more of a bar. It's just called a cafe to ward off the heavier drinkers."

Kuroki "Huh. I see that's actually very effective."

The cafe is filled with middle-aged businessmen and a few younger groups of men. None of them are drinking a lot. All of them are having quiet conversation while sipping their drinks.

Akira "You actually don't look to terribly out-of-place in here. Especially with that eyepatch."

She points at the very decorative eyewear, grinning mischievously.

Kuroki "Ahh, while I passed out in the infirmary, Ishi came and swapped out my normal one."

Akira "Yeah, she told me about it. You jumped over the school wall, didn't you?"

Callum "You're kidding."

Kuroki "Well, yeah. I had to get around their surveillance system somehow."

I continue sipping at my vanilla malt as Akira give me a devilish grin.

Akira "He still doesn't know why Ichigo doesn't like that."

Kuroki "You know? Enlighten me. Why does she hate it?"

Akira "Well, I think it's more like jealousy. She tried to be a free runner for a year or so, but after several embarrassing injuries, she gave up."

Kuroki "She never told me that. I'm hardly a free runner either, I'm just fit."

Akira "Seems like you've already gotten all of your strength back, then."

Kuroki "I still lost a lot of my stamina. I gotta work on that later."

Akira "Heh. You act like a know-it-all, but sometime's you're even denser than a tub of bricks."

Kuroki "I wouldn't be to sure about that."

Akira "Then you've finally acknowledged that Ichigo has feelings for you?"

Kuroki "That? I talked that over with her more than two years ago. What rock are you living under?"

Akira "_Nguh!_"

Akira turns a shade paler, though she was pretty fair-skinned to begin with. All of a sudden, the atmosphere in her immediate area turns ice cold. She slumps over the counter with a look of total shock on her face.

Akira "How could I not know about that? ..._Uuu_. I thought little Ichigo told me everything..."

Seeing any other adult act like this would be funny, but seeing Akira do it is hilarious. I keep these thoughts to myself, and keep myself from snickering.

Kuroki "At any rate, how's your day been up to now?"

I take into account that she was in fairly high spirits until a moment ago.

She picks herself off the counter and faces me with a pouting look on her face. A few seconds later, it shifts back to her normal small grin.

Akira "My day's been fairly uneventful. When you're working a desk job like me, uneventful is good. How about you?"

Kuroki "I ditched a nosy journalist and went on a little emotional roller-coaster. Not in that order."

Akira "You're going in for your usual appointment tomorrow, right?"

Kuroki "Yeah. The nurse decided to have me start anti-depressants as a precaution."

She twitches suddenly.

Akira "He did speak to your mother first, right?"

Kuroki "Of course. He's a professional. He knows what he's doing. But I can't help but feel that there's something else behind that smile he always has. It's like he's hiding something."

Callum shudders.

Callum "Right, then. I'll be clocking out now. See you guys later."

Kuroki "What happened to working the nine-to-five?"

Callum "I was joking. Akira's working the nine-to-five."

With these words, she walks out the door with her hand raised in a lazy goodbye.

**BGM: High Tension**

Kuroki "Aki-nee..."

I turn slowly to Akira, trying to look as scary as possible.

Kuroki "...Is that true?"

She give me a wide, nervous grin, while a sweatdrop appears on her forehead.

Akira "W-well, you know..."

**BGM: Parity**

Kuroki "Now then, I'm going to help you out for a while."

Akira "That's not really necessary..."

Kuroki "_Neither is staying up until five to be a bartender._"

Akira "But-"

I reach over the counter and flick her on the forehead.

Kuroki "No buts."

* * *

20:45

**BGM: Red Velvet**

Akira "You you said that _I_ looked like a bartender."

Kuroki is in the same position that I was in half an hour ago. He's wearing a white apron and working at his own gentle pace. Because Callum left most of the dishes unwashed, I was working on them. At least, up until now.

A man with white hair and hazel eyes walk in and sits down at the bar. His name is Aizawa Yukio, a company partner and a regular at the cafe.

Kuroki "What can I get for you tonight, sir?"

Man "The usual."

Kuroki "I'm sorry. I'm just a temporary helper. What's your usual?"

Akira "Ahh, that's Yukio. He usually has a Michelda Gingembre."

Kuroki "Oh. So that's why there's hot sauce on the wine rack."

Wait, what?

Akira "Since when did you learn how to make low-alcohol cocktails?"

Kuroki "You're forgetting that I've helped host business parties. Part of that was making all kinds of different cocktails."

As he speaks, he grabs a glass from the freezer underneath the bar and fills it halfway with ice.

Kuroki "Do you want orange or lime, Sir?"

Yukio "A bit of both, please."

After expertly measuring in the soda and juice, he adds syrup, ginger juice, and hot sauce. He stirs the drink while pouring a bottle of beer into the glass. He finishes it off with a pinch of salt.

I can't keep the surprise from showing on my face. He mixed it perfectly with well-practiced motions. He didn't make a single mistake.

Akira "The next time I see your father, I'm going to kick his ass."

He turns to me and grins.

Kuroki "Not if I see him first. _Hai, douzo._" (Alright, here you go.)

He turns back and hands the drink to Yukio, who takes a sip and smiles.

Yukio "Well done, kiddo. That's a good cocktail. With this skill, why are you only part-time?"

Kuroki "Well, Aki-nee _doesn't get enough rest when she's supposed to,_ so I stepped in to give her a hand."

He turns his head towards me and speaks in an irritated tone, but almost instantly switches back to polite conversation mode. Yukio laughs at this.

Yukio "You've got a kind _ototo _here, Satou-san. I think he's a keeper."

The compliment catches me totally off guard. I end up stuttering.

Akira "W-well, were not actually siblings. I've been his family lawyer for several years. When he was around sixteen, he started jokingly using the _nee_ honorific, and he just got a habit of it."

Yukio "I see, I see."

Kuroki looks hurt all of a sudden.

Kuroki "If it bothers you that much, I can just call you Akira."

The look he's giving me combined with the fact he said my name without an honorific makes my heart skip a beat.

Akira "No no no no. I-I don't mind if you call me Aki-nee. Wipe that look off your face, you tease."

The hurt look is replaced by a childish grin, making my heart skip yet another beat.

_This is bad. Now I can see why Hanako fell for him._

Hasn't Kuroki always been like this, though? Why am I noticing it now of all times?

Why... Am...

* * *

**A few seconds later.**

**BGM: Stride**

Kuroki "Aki-nee? Are you alright?"

I'm looking at the ceiling. Kuroki is in my field of view, a worried look on his face.

Akira "What happened?"

My voice sounds strained and sluggish, and my face feels hot.

Kuroki "Damn it, Akira. I told you to get some rest."

He brushes the hair from my forehead and puts his palm against it.

Kuroki "I don't need a thermometer to tell that you're burning up."

He gently lays me down on the floor and grabs the telephone behind the counter, reading the list of contacts next to it before dialing one.

Kuroki "Hello? Is this Ishimura-san? Yes. Yes, I'm calling from the cafe. Akira has developed a fever and can't work. Can you send someone to take over? Yes. Sorry for the trouble, sir. Thank you."

He hangs up. He reaches down and scoops me up in his arms bridal style, but I'm too exhausted to be embarrassed by it. He carries by into the back room and lays me down on the soft rug. He takes off his apron and coat, using them as a pillow and blanket for me. He lays a cool wet hand-towel on my forehead.

Kuroki "Rest until the help gets here. I'll call mom and have her take you home once he arrives, so that the others can help take care of you."

Akira "Thank you, Kuroki."

Kuroki leans down and...

**BGM: Off**

Kisses my forehead.

He stands up and smiles gently.

Kuroki "Rest. I'll take care of everything else."

He walks out the door and closes it behind him, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I reach my hand up and touch the spot where he placed the kiss.

Akira "That was very cruel, Kuroki. You should know better than to play with a girl's heart."

I smile to nobody in particular, and let sleep take me.

* * *

21:00

**BGM: Wiosna**

About ten minutes later, two cars pull into the parking lot. I recognize both of them. Ichigo's automobile, and Callum's "Black List Number One" BMW M3 GTR.

Both of them walk in the door after locking their vehicles.

Callum "[So, I get back to my apartment, bust out the wine and the entire Night Springs trilogy, and before I can take a sip, I get a call from the boss telling me to work overtime.]"

Kuroki "[Night Springs, huh? You have good taste.]"

Callum "[Shut it. I would rather be watching it than working overtime because my colleague decided to overwork herself.]"

Kuroki "[Try to be quiet. I already chewed her out, and she's trying to rest right now.]"

Ichigo "Where is she?"

Kuroki "Back here. Follow me."

I walk into the back room behind the counter, and Ichigo follows behind. I open the door, revealing Akira, who's still asleep with my coat as her blanket and apron as her pillow.

Ichigo "Do you need help?"

Kuroki "No. I can carry her, no problem. I need you to open the door out front for me."

Ichigo shoots me a dirty look as I scoop up Akira in my arms with minimal effort. She holds the front door for me as I carry Akira to the car and lay her down in the back seat. I grab my coat and put it back on, turning to Ichigo.

Kuroki "Just take her home with you, I don't think it's a good idea to let her stay in her apartment by herself in this state."

Ichigo "You're right."

Yukio "Will she be alright?"

Yukio's voice calls out from the cafe door.

Kuroki "She'll be fine. We'll take care of her."

The man nods with a relieved look on his face. He steps back inside without a word.

I put on my helmet and zip up my trenchcoat.

Kuroki "I'll just head straight home, then."

I jump on my bike and, after checking _carefully_ for any other transmitters, pull out of the parking lot, heading for home.

* * *

I wake up lying in an unfamiliar bed. I sit up carefully, slightly dizzy, and look around the room. There's moonlight washing in through the window. It's not quite a full moon, but it's bright enough to make out the person sitting in the chair on the right side of the bed.

Kuroki sits in the chair, leaned slightly back, eyes closed and not making a sound, save for breathing. I assume he's asleep.

_So I'm in Kuroki's room._

Looking around more carefully, I see another person sitting in a chair on the opposite side. She's slumped over onto the bed, scarred hand loosely holding my own.

So Hanako is here, huh? I wonder if Lilly is here too.

I turn to look at the alarm clock.

21:30

I lay back down with a thump and sigh.

Kuroki "You should be asleep."

I jump when Kuroki speaks. I look up at him. He opens his eyes and meets with mine. One chocolate brown and one electric blue. I never really understood why people teased him during middle school because of his eyes. It's a gift of beauty.

Kuroki "Feeling any better?"

Akira "Yeah. Thanks, Kurocchi."

I grip Hanako's hand slightly as I sit back up. This time, I'm not dizzy when I sit up.

Without warning, Kuroki stands up, puts his index finger on my forehead and pushes me back down onto the bed with it.

Kuroki "Sleep. I'm going to be seriously upset if you keep overworking yourself."

It take me a moment to realize that Kuroki looks seriously worried. I can tell that it isn't an act, either. I haven't seen him make a face like that before.

It's enough to convince me to do as he says, but I find myself unconsciously avoiding eye-contact with him.

Akira "Well, it's true. I should stop trying to push my limits with all of the work out firm is doing."

Kuroki "You know you're family to me, right? I don't want to lose anyone else."

_He's such a sweet kid. Why did he suffer so much?_

I sigh and think about the things I've heard about him over the few years we've spent together.

Akira "You didn't deserve this, Kuroki. You should've had a happy life."

He stares at me for a moment, seemingly dumbfounded, as if I had centipedes crawling out my ears. After a moment, he begins to laugh.

**BGM: Aria de I E'toile**

It's an innocent, childish kind of laughter that's accompanied by a heartwarming smile.

Kuroki "Are you still under that rock? Of course I'm happy. I have my mother, my sister, my friends, and you too. How could I be unsatisfied with that?"

He puts a cool hand on my forehead and gently brushes the loose strands of hair out of my face.

Akira "So this is the 'dere' that's hidden in the 'Kuudere'."

Kuroki "I only show it to a few people, so enjoy it while it lasts."

This prompts a fit of giggles from me.

Akira "You're funny, Kuroki. You need to fix that habit of teasing people though.

Kuroki "I'll see what I can do."

Akira "While you're still in 'dere' mode, will you do me a favor?"

Kuroki "Sure. What do you want?"

Akira "Could you..."

I whisper into his ear.

**BGM: Off**

Kuroki looks a bit confused for a moment, but nods, walking out of the room.

I wake up Hanako and speak to her.

Hanako "Akira? ...What's going on?

Akira "Hey, Hanako. We're gonna get a special surprise in a moment."

She looks confused until Kuroki walks in with a synthetic-material gray violin.

Akira "Kuroki's gonna play a little bit of a lullaby for us."

Kuroki "I haven't touched one of these in a while, so I might be out of practice."

**BGM: Romance in Andante II**

He props the violin up and plays a low note. He deduces that he doesn't need to tune the instrument, and plays another note. He starts playing several strings in succession. Before we know it, he's playing a gentle melody, occasionally mixing up the tempo here and there for extra effect.

The way he's playing so effortlessly leaves me speechless. His eyes are closed, and he has a smile on his mouth that matches the melody.

As he continues, I can feel my eyelids droop. As I fall asleep, I gaze over to Hanako.

She's just watching. As if she's hypnotized by the music.

_I be she's watching his face, isn't she?_

* * *

**Hello all. Writer here.**

**I might end act II early and get straight to the character arcs since I've run out of ideas for another common route chapter.**

**The results of the poll (If you haven't seen them already) are as follows:**

**1st place: Ikezawa Hanako (No big surprise. Everyone loves Hana-chan :3)**

**2nd place: Aizawa Akane**

**3rd place: Satou Akira (This was a big surprise, actually. I didn't think that people would ship KurokiXAkira. This one will be an interesting one to write. :D)**

**Thank you all for voting!**

**I'm sorry I took so long with this chapter, I'll try to be faster with the next one.**

**Until then,**

**-Writer**

**P.S: Please enjoy all of the subtle references I included in this chapter.**


	19. Act II, Part VIII

**Previously on To Lose Something:**

**BGM: Passing of Time**

_Kuroki "A little more."_

_Akira "My day's been fairly uneventful. When you're working a desk job like me, uneventful is good. How about you?"_

_Kuroki "I ditched a nosy journalist and went on a little emotional roller-coaster. Not in that order."_

_Kuroki "Rest. I'll take care of everything else."_

_Akira "That was very cruel, Kuroki. You should know better than to play with a girl's heart."_

_Akira "So this is the 'dere' that's hidden in the 'Kuudere'."_

_Kuroki "I only show it to a few people, so enjoy it while it lasts."_

Akira "Hey, why didn't we have a flashback last chapter?"

Kuroki "Don't break the fourth wall unless you're narrating, dammit!"

_Whack!_

* * *

Friday, 13:00

**BGM: Off**

I stand up in my seat as the lunch bell rings. For once, I actually rested nicely. No fatigue whatsoever.

Alright, you might be wondering what happened, right? I'll explain.

Last night, after I finished my rusty violin performance, Akira fell back alseep, leaving me and Ichigo with the task of walking Lilly and Hanako back to the dorms.

It was pretty quiet, but it was still nice. I noticed at one point, Hanako spaced out and nearly made a wrong turn.

When I asked her what was up, she just brushed it off with a nervous laugh.

Kuroki "Thank god I can finally get some peace at school."

As if on queue, the back door in the classroom opens, revealing an out-of-breath Kazuki. He runs up to me, wheezing all the while. Everyone in the class turns to stare, save for the other narcoleptic.

Kazuki "Senpai. Can I speak with you for a moment?"

Kuroki "What's this about, Kazuki?"

Kazuki "I'll explain. Just not here."

I stand up and walk out of the door with the brown-haired boy. Once we're a safe from being overheard, he speaks in a hushed voice.

**BGM: Caged Heart**

Kazuki "I heard a really bad rumor a few minutes ago."

Kuroki "Really? There are always rumors going around in this place. What's so bad about this one?"

Kazuki "It's about Akane."

With that one sentence, my attention level raises.

Kuroki "I'm assuming it isn't anything like being seen in a shadier side of town, right?"

Kazuki "No. A friend of mine heard that Akane might be getting bullied."

That's a shocker. Once again, this school starts to seem much more normal than I'd like it to be. You would think that a school for the disabled wouldn't have any bullies, but it figures that there are still some of _those _kinds of people here. In hindsight, I probably should have expected this. After all, the very person I'm talking to tried to blackmail me, although his intentions weren't exactly malicious.

Kuroki "What's the likely-hood of this rumor being true?"

Kazuki "As likely as the rumor about Akane confessing to you."

I sigh, pushing my hands into my pockets. I feel my right index finger make touch with a metallic handle.

Kuroki "This is my fault."

Kazuki "Yes, it is. But you can fix it easily."

He's right. There are numerous solutions to go with. I can already think of the simplest one.

_Accept her confession._

If I do that, they should simply lay off. If they don't, I'll 'convince' them to stop. By force, if necessary.

But I can't just accept her confession like that. I don't want to make it look like I accepted out of pity. No, I don't pity her at all.

Kazuki looks me in the eye and speaks.

Kazuki "I understand you have a lot to think about already, but Akane is a good friend. Please take care of this."

I flip open my cell phone and select "IR Transfer".

Kuroki "Here. I'll give you my number. Give me updates on the situation whenever possible."

He nods and holds his own cell next to mine. After a short beep, the words "CONTACT INFO SENT" appear on the screen. We put our phones away and bid farewell, Kazuki heading back to his own class, and me heading to the principle's office.

* * *

13:05

**BGM: Off**

Hayate "Hmm? What seems to be the problem, Kuroki?"

Kuroki "Hayate-san."

The sound of an honorific makes him pause. He knows I'm about to ask a serious question.

Kuroki "It's about an underclassman of mine, Aizawa Akane. I hear a rumor from a trustworthy source that she's being bullied."

Hayate "...I see. Do you have an idea of who the culprit is?"

Kuroki "As of yet, no. I'm keeping an eye out."

At that moment, my phone buzzes. I pull it out and open it.

**IMAGE RECEIVED FROM: Mikado, Kazuki. OPEN?**

I tap the touch screen and look at the image. It's fairly low quality, but I can make out Akane's face as... pushes herself off the hallway floor. Three more underclassman that I don't recognize. I flip the phone over and show it to the principle.

He looks at the image and sighs.

I quickly withdraw the phone and type a message to reply.

* * *

**IMAGE SENT TO: M, Kuroki**

**M, Kuroki: How long ago was this taken?**

**Just now. They spotted me. They're probably going to take my phone. :M, Kazuki**

**M, Kuroki: Run.**

**Can't. Only have one lung. :M, Kazuki**

_**M, Kuroki is typing a message.**_

* * *

13:05

That's when the phone is yanked from my hand by a teenage girl. I already have experience with this little group, so I know they won't resort to violence against anyone but their target.

Kazuki "What do you plan on doing with that?"

Kimi "Erase all evidence."

She's about to open up my pictures folder when a notification pops up, and my phone starts ringing.

Because she wasn't expecting this, she mistakenly hits the "speaker phone" button and answers the call.

_Kuroki "I hope you three girls know that you've made a terrible mistake."_

Kimi "Who is this?"

_Kuroki "Read the display, please."_

Kimi "Makina... Kuro-"

She drops the phone from shock. Luckily, my phone is a Nokia, so there's no damage whatsoever. (Nokias are un-freaking-breakable. Trust me.)

_Kuroki "Now, you get two choices. You can either introduce yourself through the phone..."_

**BGM: Breathlessly**

Kuroki "Or in person."

He steps around the corner with a phone in his hand, shutting it as he walks slowly towards us with a dangerous glare on his face. The first two run for their lives, which is probably a wise decision on their part, leaving Kimi behind.

_Wait, how did he get here so fast?_

Kuroki simply walks past her to Akane. He crouches next to her and takes her hand, pulling her to her feet.

Kuroki "Are you alright, Akane?"

Still slightly winded, and breathing heavily, she nods.

Kuroki "Go with Kazuki to the nurse's office. I'll come visit your family around six or seven, alright? Maybe I'll help out with making dinner."

She nods again in responce. Kuroki turns to me.

Kuroki "Kazuki, could you take her to the nurse's office? I don't like the idea of sending her off alone."

Kazuki "Sure."

I walk over to Akane and she nods again.

* * *

13:10

After I assure myself that the other two are out of earshot, I turn and look the girl in the eyes.

Kuroki "Looks like your accomplices abandoned you."

She sighs.

Girl "Seems like it. I guess you're right in calling them accomplices."

Kuroki "Now that you know who I am, why don't you introduce yourself?"

Kimi "Kimi. Hayashi Kimi."

Kuroki "Right. I'm assuming that you're not going to tell me the other's names?"

Kimi "Correct."

Kuroki "I'll see you around, then, Hayashi Kimi."

I turn around and walk in to the stairs.

Kimi "You're not going to yell at me?"

Kuroki "No. The principle is going to do that soon enough, anyway."

Kimi "You're not going to hit me?"

Kuroki "Why would I do that?"

Silence. She probably wasn't expecting that answer.

**BGM: Off**

Kuroki "I see no reason to hit the person who tried to stop it."

I could tell from the photo that Kimi was, in fact, trying to stop the other two. The principle himself saw this as well.

Kuroki "I recommend you cut ties with those two."

With these final words, I simply walk downstairs, heading back to the principle. As I walk, I hear her speak to herself.

Kimi "That was... an interesting conversation.

* * *

13:15

**BGM: Nocturne**

Hayate "How did you get there and back so fast?"

Kuroki "Dunno."

The principle grins his usual grin. It's as if nothing happened just a few minutes ago.

Kuroki "Now with that taken care of..."

Hayate "Back to the other topic you had in mind?"

Kuroki "Me and my friends have taken to eating lunch in one of the unused rooms on the second floor. After the Student Council harassed us, I figured I should just come ask permission to use it."

Hayate "Ahh, well, I can't really just say "sure, go ahead" without some details. I need to know what room you're using, and what for."

Kuroki "I think it used to be a literature clubroom. It's three doors down from class 2-4."

Hayate "Oh... That room... has quite a history..."

Kuroki "Oh?"

Hayate "Yes. You are aware of the nameless author that wrote "Wind's Blade", yes?"

Kuroki "Of course."

Hayate "He used to work in that clubroom. I forgot the name of the club, but we don't abolish clubs here unless there aren't enough rooms to go around, so the club itself probably still in the records."

For once, my curiosity is piqued. The very room that I've been eating lunch in for the past week is still an official clubroom. For a literature club no less.

Hayate "It's up to the last known supervisor if you can use the room or not. You need to find them and ask them."

Kuroki "Do you know who it is?"

Hayate "Sadly, no. I've only been here for a few years, and Wind's Blade was released more than a decade ago, and that's when all of the club members left, save for the adviser. Or so I've heard."

Kuroki "Is there an exact timeframe?"

Hayate "Anywhere from ten to thirteen years ago. If you want, I'll let you use that newfangled device in the corner over there to look it up."

I turn my head to see a brand new PC sitting on the research desk. Hayate walks over and logs into student research account for me, leaving me to search through the old records.

* * *

**SEARCHING FOR "Inactive clubs, F2"**

**CAME BACK WITH Two (2) RESULT(S)**

**INFORMATION ON THESE DOCUMENTS MAY BE OUTDATED!**

Astronomy club: 8 Members. Adviser: Hisakaki Komomo (Last updated 20 years ago)

Author's club: 5 Members. Adviser: Nomoya Shinichi (Last updated 12 years ago)

* * *

I click the link for "Author's club" and the page pops up instantaneously.

* * *

List of members:

Aizawa Yukio, 18 (Club President)

Aizawa Sana, 18

~~~~~~ Kousuke, 18

Yamada Haruka, 16

Mutou Akio, 21

Nomiya Shinichi, 28 (Adviser)  


* * *

_Aizawa, huh? Akane's parent's, maybe._

Kuroki "Does a Nomiya Shinichi work here?"

Hayate "Ah, yes. He's currently the adviser of the Art club, and also the teacher of the art class."

Kuroki "Before I go, what does he look like? There's aren't any pictures of the club members."

Hayate "Short messing gray hair, rose-tinted glasses, and a fake smile."

Kuroki "Right. You said he teaches art class, right? What classroom is that?"

Hayate "3-4 if I'm correct. They use the art room for their club activities."

Kuroki "Thanks. I'll talk to him."

* * *

13:30

**BGM: Parity**

After eating in the cafeteria, I run to the third floor and silently open the door to class 3-4.

The teacher looks up. I can't tell his eye color through the weird glasses he's wearing, but his description matches the one the principle gave me, which includes the fake smile.

I wave to him while keeping my expression neutral. I may not be able to tell his eye color, but something about his eyes gives me a bad vibe. I'd better keep my guard up around this guy.

Nomiya "Well, well, well, well, well. If it isn't the writer boy!"

He said "well" five times?

Kuroki "Nomiya-sensei, would you mind if I asked you a question?"

Nomiya "Go right ahead! Ask away!"

Several of the students that are eating their lunch in the classroom turn to the source of the racket.

Kuroki "It's about the Author's club."

His smile suddenly stiffens at the mention of the club.

Nomiya "Are you asking out of curiosity?"

That... doesn't make any sense. Why would he respond like that?

Kuroki "I'm not sure I follow you, Sensei."

Nomiya "I'm assuming you want to know which member is the ghost writer, correct?"

Kuroki "No. I want to start the club up again."

He's momentarily confused, then he smiles again. This time, I can tell he's _definitely _wary of me.

Nomiya "I don't see any problem with that. However, I'm afraid I have my hands full with the art club, so you'll have to ask another teacher to be your adviser."

Kuroki "Very well. Thank you, Sensei. I'll take my leave now."

I turn around and walk out of the classroom.

**BGM: Off**

* * *

13:45

Kuroki "...It felt like he raised his guard the second I mentioned the club."

I'm sitting in my classroom seat. Hisao is sitting in front of me with his chair facing me, while Hanako leans on the desk belonging to Tainaka.

Hanako "Maybe he just doesn't want to be the adviser of two clubs?"

Kuroki "Maybe. But it's unfortunate. Until I find a teacher who's willing, we can't use that room."

Mutou "A teacher for what, Kuroki-kun?"

Kuroki "Mutou-sensei, I wanted to revive the Author's club, but I need an adviser."

He, like Nomiya, visible stiffens when I mention the club.

_That's right. I did see Mutou in the list of members._

For the second time today, my curiosity is piqued.

Kuroki "I asked Nomiya, but he refused. Would it be too much trouble to ask you to do it?"

He stares at the ceiling for a while, giving it deep thought before answering.

Mutou "There are a few... conditions... If you agree with them, I'll have no problem with being your adviser."

Kuroki "Done."

**BGM: Ease**

He pauses a moment, looking absolutely flabbergasted.

Mutou "You aren't every going to ask what they are?"

Kuroki "I know what they are. One: Try not to poke into the record that have nothing to do with me, and if I do, keep it to myself. Two: I have to clean the room."

Mutou "Precisely. How did you guess?"

Kuroki "Educated guess. Something happened involving that club, but it's not something I should look into out of curiosity, right?"

Mutou "I'll leave that question unanswered for now."

Kuroki "That's reasonable. Everyone has things they want to keep to themselves."

Mutou "I'll take care of the paperwork after school hours. Class is going to start in a couple minutes. I'll give you the registration forms tomorrow morning."

Kuroki "Thank you, Akio-sensei."

He pauses for a moment.

Mutou "When did you learn my given name?"

Kuroki "That's a trivial detail."

He gives me a bemused look and walks back to his desk, shaking his head.

That's everything I need for the club. Now I just have to wait. Until then, I have that trip into town to worry about, as well as a possible visit to the Cobalt and/or White Dice Cafe. Honestly, what the hell was I thinking? Two girls that have feelings for me are going to come into close proximity of each other. I just hope it won't be like adding lighter fluid to dry firewood.

Kuroki "Say, Hanako. What is it you needed to get in the city today?"

Hanako "I needed to pick up some groceries and check in with my... therapist."

She says it a little hesitantly, but says it nonetheless.

Kuroki "Mmm. Alright, what time should we head out? As soon as class ends?"

Hanako "That'll work."

Hisao "What are you guys talking about?"

Kuroki "Ah, that's right. I'm going into the city with Hanako to get a few things. You want to come with?"

Hisao stares at me as if I suggested dropping a penguin in a desert. (I'm sorry, I've overused that one.)

Hisao "Nah, I get the feeling I'll be getting in the way of you two."

This causes Hanako to blush profusely.

_...That's damn adorable._

Stop. Don't think about it. Just brush it off. Wipe the goofy look off your face, Kuroki.

Kuroki "Alright. Suit yourself, then."

My phone buzzes once, indicating that I've received a text. I flip open my phone and poke at the touchscreen.

* * *

**Akane recovered. Her parents are coming to pick her up. :M, Kazuki**

**M, Kuroki: That's a relief. How was she when she left?**

**She asked me for your number since you weren't there. I didn't know if you wanted that or not, so I kept it to myself for the moment. :M, Kazuki**

**M, Kuroki: Good call. But it's alright if you send her my number, since we're close enough.**

**Alright. Thank you for helping her. :M, Kazuki**

* * *

13:50

Kuroki "Huh. He's really not such a bad guy after all."

Hisao "Misha's little brother?"

Kuroki "Yeah. Kazuki. He's a good kid at heart."

Hisao "When did you become such a softy?"

Kuroki "I guess around the same time you became a romantic."

Hisao "...Touche."

I smirk at Hisao, who smirks back.

TK "You two sure do get along."

Both "What are you talking about?"

Hanako giggles as me and Hisao simultaneously speak. That's the second time this week I've done that.

TK raises her eyebrow again at the unintentional performance. I simply shrug in response.

I guess they're right. I may have only known him for roughly a week, but we've gotten pretty close. It may be because he seems easy to talk to, but I've gotten close enough for him to willingly tell me about his life before Yamaku. He even told me what caused his first attack. It's strange how I got so friendly with him so fast. Is it because...

Kuroki "You remind me of my cousin Kotarou, Hisao."

Yes. That's probably why. Kotarou had a very similar personality, except he was a bit more... vulgar than Hisao.

Hisao "Really now?"

Kuroki "Yeah. You act almost exactly like him, except he was a lot more foul-mouthed. He could cuss out a sailor if he wanted to."

Hisao might not have noticed, but Hanako did. I'm using past tense.

Hisao "You sure have quite a few interesting connections, Kuroki."

Kuroki "You should have heard him describe the family tree out loud. He called it, forgive my french here, "a clusterfuck of every nationality on the planet".

Hisao "Really, now?"

Kuroki "Yeah. He wasn't terribly far from the truth. Him and his sister Kotori are part Spanish, Irish, Japanese and Scottish. After their parents got divorced, Kotori moved to with her father and he remarried to a woman who's German/Russian. Her name is Laura, and a year after they had married, she gave birth to a boy. Now I have a baby cousin named Vasili."

Hisao "That's... pretty hard to believe."

Yeah... My uncle Aiden (Kotori's father and my father's brother) is actually a linguist. It's insane, yes. He's the one who taught me to speak and write fluently in both Japanese and German. Come to think of it, I should visit Scotland again sometime.

**BGM: Off**

My uncle might be a little funny in the head, but I do love my family.

Hanako "...is that look on his face?"

Hisao "That, Hanako, is a thinking face. Fantastic isn't it? He's completely tuned us out."

**BGM: Parity**

That's what he thinks. I'll just play along for my own amusement.

Hisao "Kuroki, do you like cupra?"

Kuroki "Yes."

Hisao "Do you like the taste of cupra?"

Kuroki "Yes."

Hisao "Am I a generic nice guy?"

Kuroki "Yes."

He pauses for a moment, contemplating what to ask next.

Hisao "Muffin?

Kuroki "Yes."

Hisao "Do you run around the house in your underwear?"

That's an easy one.

Kuroki "Yes."

Several people next to me chuckle.

Finally, TK decides to ask a question.

TK "What's your favorite color?"

Kuroki "Yes."

**BGM: Off**

Looking amused, she asked another question.

TK "...Do you love me?"

I turn to her and speak in a deadpan voice.

Kuroki "Don't try to put me in the same boat as Makoto." (SCREW SCHOOL DAYS!)

**BGM: Hokabi**

Several people overhear and manage (barely) to keep a straight face. A few of them aren't quite as lucky. TK, who finally realizes what she said, goes into a full-face blush and begins stuttering. Hanako, on the other hand erupts with laughter, nearly to the point of tears.

That's when Lilly walks into the room with a surprised look on her face.

Lilly "Is that Hanako laughing?"

Hanako finally manages to take in a some air.

Hanako "Yeah... That... was me."

She squeezes the words out in between heaving breaths.

Lilly turns to me and tilts her head, as if asking a question. I shrug in response before remembering that it's entirely pointless.

Kuroki "Are you sure you have time to chat, Lilly? Class is in five minutes."

She raises her eyebrows with an almost comical "I forgot!" face and says goodbye before walking out of the classroom.

Apparently my sense of time is off, because just sixty seconds after she leaves, the bell rings, signalling the start of afternoon classes.

* * *

5:00

**BGM: Afternoon**

The second class ends, I stand up and pack up my things. I walk over to Hanako, who's doing the same, and tap on her shoulder.

Kuroki "Ready?"

She nods while facing away from me and walks out the door without a word, I follow shortly behind.

While we're walking down the hall on our way to the stairs, my phone vibrates once again. I irritably pull it out of my pocket, thinking that I've received another call from the my company.

I say my company, because I apparently was voted by the workers as the better choice once my father was sent to prison.

I flip open the phone and see this:

**TEXT MESSAGE FROM S, Lilly**

* * *

**I've never heard Hamako laugh that herd befoer. I think she hss ferlingz fir you. :S, Lilly**

* * *

I suppress a giggle at the text full of misspellings. I know I shouldn't laugh at it since she's blind. Since she would probably need someone to read it for her if I replied, I decide to simply put away my phone without doing anything else.

_I can't believe you think I'm that dense. I was already fully aware of that, Lilly._

* * *

5:20

After Hanako returns from her dorm wearing casuals, we walk home since I left my motorcycle there this morning.

I go inside and grab a few things. Wallet, keys, trenchcoat, spare biker jacket... That's everything.

I throw the jacket to Hanako.

Kuroki "Here. If we get into an accident, this'll keep you from getting... roadburn."

She giggles at my (unintentional) joke (if you could call it that).

She hops onto the back of the back and puts her helmet on. I start up the bike, and away we go.

* * *

**Alrighty. Next chapter is when I stop the "common route" and start writing the different arcs.**

**Remember, I'm only planning on a three chapter arc for each character. I'm sorry, but I'm slowly running out of ideas. I already know what to put in both Akane's and Akira's arcs, but I have yet to figure out what to put in Hanako's.**

**Akane's arc will be called "Secrets of the Author's Club". It will mainly revolve around the slowly growing mystery of the Author's club, and the people involved with it. Kuroki will finish and publish his new novel early in the chapter. Unlike the previous novel, it's free! Donation is optional. After he finishes, he starts to look into the Author's club to uncover what happened twelve years ago.**

**Akira's arc will be called "Old bonds and new experiences". This arc will revolve around Kuroki's inherited corporation and the Satou family's law firm, and will take place in Scotland. This arc will also contain some action sequences and guns. Lots of guns, actually. Also contains a scene where Kuroki kicks ass and chews bubblegum. (I hope that I don't get sued for that reference.)**

**All I know about Hanako's arc right now is that I'm going to name it "THE FIRES OF HELL THAT HANAKO RAISED BY USING HER 1N5AN3 AWP N05C0P3 5K1LLZ"...not.**

**Anyway I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Sorry I took so long, I'm trying to figure out if I should just write the arcs in whatever order is easier, since I have no clue what to put in Hanako's route. If you guys want to make a suggestion, please, by all means, PM me with your idea! I wouldn't have gotten to act two without you guys!**

**And before I forget, I have to make a special shoutout to all of my readers:**

* * *

**Ansance, Thank you. I mean it. Your encouraging reviews on nearly every chapter have helped keep me going, and I cannot thank you enough for that.**

**As a writer, nothing makes me happier than knowing that you, a reader, enjoy the work I put into this story.**

* * *

**Wings of Justice, Not only did you review my story, you even PMed me with feedback regarding BOTH of my stories for Katawa Shoujo.**

**And you even introduced me to a new series (which I've looked up, but not watched yet, because it'll make me procrastinate.).**

* * *

**JustARandomRussianGuy, you left reviews and PMed me to inform me of my (admittedly stupid) measurement mistake in chapter VI, and the incorrect summary of Arrhythmia in chapter VII.**

**The last time I made a similar mistake, someone went "That's not how the metric system works, retard", but you simply told me my mistake and understood that because I'm American, I'm not as well versed in the metric system. Thank you for not shoving it down my throat. Really, I appreciate it.**

* * *

**To all of you, Thank you for reading, and stay frosty!**

**(Seriously, I can't wait for summer to end. It's like 105 Fahrenheit outside right now.)**

* * *

**EDIT: I forgot to add in the BGM, so I had to reupload the chapter after fixing it.**


	20. Act II, Finale

**Previously on To Lose Something:**

_Kimi "You aren't going to hit me?"_

_Kuroki "I see no reason to hit the person who tried to stop it."_

_Hisao "Muffin?"_

_Kuroki "Yes."_

_TK "...Do you love me?"_

_Kuroki "Don't try to put me in the same boat as Makoto."_

Kazuki "How come I didn't get a line?"

Kuroki "You did, but you wasted it already."

* * *

17:40

Hanako "That's everything."

We walk up to the register and deposit the items onto the counter. As the clerk starts bagging items, I notice a familiar face in line behind me.

Kuroki "Yorito?"

**BGM: Student Council**

Yorito "Well, if it isn't Kuroki. How have you been?"

This is my therapist Ichijo Yorito. He's a well-built grey-haired man in his fifties with a small amount of stubble on his jaw.

Kuroki "First week in Yamaku. So far everything's been alright."

Yorito "Good. Do you want me to go ahead and move your appointment back an hour to give you more time with your..."

He notices Hanako, and seems to recognize her.

Yorito "Ikezawa-san?"

She turns and meets his gaze.

Hanako "Oh. Hello Yorito-san."

Kuroki "You two know eachother?"

Hanako "This is my therapist..."

Kuroki "What a coincidence. He's my therapist too."

Yorito looks from me to Hanako, and then back to me.

Kuroki "...If you say anything suggestive, I'm going to get angry."

Hanako giggles.

Yorito "Sorry. I was thinking about it."

He grins as I pay the clerk and take my change. We grab our things and walk outside while chatting.

Still, I didn't expect Yorito to be Hanako's therapist as well. Small town, I guess.

* * *

17:50

Yorito "Right. Have a seat."

He beckons me to a plush recliner. Hanako is in the opposite room reading Black Key with renewed vigor.

Kuroki "Will do."

I sit and boldly prop my feet up on the coffee table. With an un-amused smile at my poor etiquette, he starts his usual routine.

Yorito "So? Have you thought about what I asked you last week?"

Kuroki "I have."

**BGM: Off**

* * *

18:00

**Last week**

Yorito "Other than reading or writing, is there anything you actually like doing that could become a career?"

Kuroki "I've dabbled in art, but I'm not very good."

Yorito "Anything else?"

Kuroki "Nothing comes to mind."

* * *

17:50

**Present**

Kuroki "Maybe I'll be a Psychiatrist."

**BGM: Afternoon**

He raises a bushy grey eyebrow at this. Maybe that's actually not such a good idea. I have a habit of being brutally honest, or so I've been told.

Yorito "That's not such a bad idea. It's something. Besides, I heard that you're a successful writer now, so you could probably stick with that."

Kuroki "Yeah, I guess I could do that. I'm still working on a fictional sequel for the first book."

Yorito "And... there's also the family business."

Kuroki "...Yeah. I could do that too."

Machina Mechatronics. A company that makes advanced and unconventional AIs and robots. It would explain why I got a tutor for programming.

Kuroki "They all sound good, but I don't want to just pick one."

Yorito "It's a job, not a woman. You can have more than one."

Kuroki "Well, legally, you can have more than one wife. Although I never saw the point of having more than one."

Yorito "Well having more than one job is more ethical than having more than one woman..."

Dead silence.

Kuroki "...Mind explaining how we got on this topic?"

Yorito "I don't know. But since we're here, why don't we have another go at your love life?"

I tense up slightly.

Yorito "Have you recovered from losing Miyamoto-san?"

Kuroki "Almost. It's going to take a while, but I can recall memories of her without getting depressed."

Yorito "Excellent. Your mother called me a while ago to inform me that you are now taking some medicine to help."

Kuroki "Word travels fast."

Yorito "It's a small town."

Kuroki "That's not always a good thing."

Yorito "Back to the topic... Have you... found anyone else?"

I pause for a moment and think.

Ikezawa Hanako. A shy bookworm and chess hobbyist that I accidentally spooked during my first day at school. She was seemingly uncomfortable with me during the first two day I knew her, but recently she seems to have gotten more confident in herself. I can tell by looking at her that she has feelings for me. I would be lying if I said I wasn't interested in her as well.

Aizawa Akane. Open with her feelings, smart, and kind. I remember the look on her face when she made her confession. She said those words while barely familiar with me at all, so I would be a bit skeptical if she said she loved me. She didn't say she loved me, though. Instead, she said she was interested. She was so honest about it, I almost considered accepting on the spot.

Satou Akira. She's someone I've known since my father remarried and started training me. She was tomboyish, always dressing in suits and occasionally even a bowler hat. She's like a family member to me. But recently it's felt like the bond called 'family' is slowly blurring and turning into something else. What it's turning into, I don't know. I do know that she's one of the most important people on the planet to me.

These three girls are the only people that come to mind.

Kuroki "I... honestly don't know... I think I found someone..."

He smile kindly.

Yorito "Well, if you're having trouble with deciding, just close your eyes and name the first person that you see standing by you."

Kuroki "Right now?"

Yorito "Yeah! Go ahead!"

I close my eyes as he says.

A person I treasure the most. The person I want to protect the most.

The first thing that comes to mind is-

**[Long purple hair and purple eyes]**

**[Silky white hair and sky blue eyes]**

**[Short blonde hair and scarlet eyes]**

* * *

**Alright, this is when the paths split. Don't actually PM or review about the choice. It's already been made. :P**

**Sorry this one is so damn short, I just wanted to end ACT II and get to writing.**

**I've decided that I'll release the arc in one go, meaning I'll write a full arc and release it once I'm finished, then move to a different arc.**

**Also, I've written a chapter for another fanfiction, but that will get uploaded later.**

**It'll take some time, so forgive me if it takes a month.**


	21. Akira: Part I

**Truth is everybody is going to hurt you: you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for. -Bob Marley**

Vasili McFrost presents:

A Katawa Shoujo fanfiction.

Old Bonds and New Experiences.

* * *

**There are some time jumps here. I've removed the 24 hour clock for simplicity's sake. I know a few of you have been waiting for this, so here it goes.**

**Warning: Suggestive content, fuzz, fuzz, and fuzz. Viewer discretion advised.**

* * *

**Tuesday**

Sitting in the private jet, I look out the window at the green hills and small towns below. I'm sitting across from Lilly and one of the Satou family bodyguards. Akira sits next to me with her head resting in my lap, sleeping peacefully. I look down at her sleeping face and smile, stroking her cheek with my left hand. There's a hand-engraved silver ring on my left ring finger, and a matching ring on Akira's.

We've been married for a year now. I've graduated and taken over the family business, working on it from home. We're currently on our way to Heathrow Airport, from there we will will take a car ride to our new dwelling where we will take up a permanent residence. Me and Akira are going to meet with her parents later to discuss a potential partnership between the Satou Lawfirm and Machina Mechatronics, and to give them an update on the past month.

How did I end up with Akira as my wife? That's a good question. I'll have to rewind a quite a bit.

* * *

**Friday, One year ago.**

_When I close my eyes, the first thing I see is short blonde hair and scarlet eyes._

_Akira._

**BGM: Afternoon**

I open my eyes and sit up straight in one fluid motion.

Yorito "Have you figured it out?"

Kuroki "Yes."

Yorito "Good. Now go. You have something to do, right?"

I nod and run to the door, opening it and running through it. As I pass by Hanako, I pull several coins from my wallet and hand them to her.

Kuroki "I have to go somewhere right away. This is for the bus. Sorry I had to bail."

Hanako looks puzzled before nodding.

Hanako "It's... not a problem."

I can tell there's disappointment in her voice. I feel a pang of guilt as I run full speed ahead through the building, drawing the attention of everyone in the waiting area.

Outside, I start up my bike and burn out in the parking lot, nearly breaking the speed limit as I make a mental map of the fastest route home.

* * *

I pull into my driveway and dash through the hallway so fast that the flour bomb goes off a second too late, making a mess on the floor and wall where I was a second ago. I run into the living room and speak in a rushed voice.

Kuroki "Where are the rings?"

Riku "Huh?"

Kuroki "The rings! The engraved silver wedding bands!"

Riku "Are you getting married?"

Kuroki "That's for me to know and you to find out. Where are they?"

Riku "The cupboard under the sink. False bottom under the toolbox. Who's the lucky girl?"

Kuroki "You'll find out later!"

I almost tear cupboard door off it's hinges in my hurry. I pull out the false bottom of the toolbox and grab the pair of matching rings. Silver wedding bands that are hand-engraved. I pocket both of them and run out the door again.

Riku "Good luck!"

Kuroki "Clean up your mess!"

Riku "_Uuu_... My little Kuroki is finally tying the knot..."

I hop back onto my still-running bike and fumble with my cellphone. I manage to dial in Hayate's number and hit 'call'. He picks up on the first ring.

Hayate "What's up, Kuroki?"

Kuroki "White Dice Cafe. Ten minutes. I hope you remember how to wed people."

Hayate "Who's the lucky girl?"

_Why is everybody asking that!?_

Kuroki "You'll find out when you get there."

Hayate "I'll be there in seven."

He hangs up. I pocket my phone and peel out once again.

If he's going to be there in seven, I have to be there in five.

I rev the engine and speed up.

* * *

I pull into the cafe's parking lot and pull my helmet off. I don't put my eyepatch on back on once I take the helmet off, because I need both of my eyes for what I'm about to do.

I stride into the cafe and up to Akira, who's sitting on one of the bar stools. Callum and Lilly are the only others here. Akira turns and looks at me. Sensing something is off, she stands up and looks at me.

Akira "Kuroki? What's going on?"

**BGM: Off**

This is it.

I gulp, take a deep breath and go to one knee in front of her.

Akira "...Eh?"

I produce the ring and present it to her.

**BGM: Innocence**

Kuroki "Satou Akira. I love you. Will you be my my one and only? Will you marry me?"

Callum knocks over her drink and Lilly nearly falls out of her chair. As for Akira, her mouth just drops open in absolute astonishment.

I'm looking directly into her eyes as I feel a blush spread across my face. There's no hiding it. I continue to gaze at her, waiting for a response.

Callum "[Holy shit!]"

Lilly "[That was... direct.]"

Akira is still to stunned to speak.

Akira "Ah..."

A full-face blush hits her immedietly once she finally finishes processing what I just said.

Akira "I..."

I wait on one knee as she struggles with her words. Finally she opens her mouth and almost whispers the words out.

Akira "I l-love you too, Makina Kuroki. Yes, I'll marry you."

I finally let out the breath I has unconsciously been holding in. I stand up and take her left hand, sliding the ring onto her ring finger. I pull the matching ring out of my pocket and hand it to her.

Callum "[God dammit! Akira owes me a thousand yen now, but it still feels like I lost!]"

A tear slips down Akira's cheek as she looks at the rings around each of our fingers. I reach up and gently brush the tear away, stroking her cheek as I do so. She moves in closer and wraps her arms around my back while burying her face in my chest.

Hayate "Is this what you needed me for?"

Kuroki "Perfect timing. Do you want to make our vows right now?"

Everyone in the room is stunned, save for me and Akira.

She looks up at me and nods with tears in her eyes and a smile on her lips.

Hayate "Haa... I can't believe you just rushed into this... Oh well. Here goes."

He takes a deep breath and begins.

Hayate "Kuroki and Akira, today you celebrate one of life's greatest moments and give recognition to the worth and beauty of love, as you join together in vows of marriage."

Callum "[He's serious about this!?]"

Lilly "[Hush!]"

Hayate "Kuroki, do you take Akira to be your Wife?"

Kuroki "I do."

Hayate "Do you promise to love, honor, cherish and protect her, forsaking all others and holding only unto her?"

Kuroki "I do"

He then turns to Akira.

Hayate "Akira, do you take Kuroki to be your Husband?

Akira "...I do."

Hayate "Do you promise to love, honor, cherish and protect him, forsaking all others and holding only unto him?"

Akira "I do."

Hayate "Now, repeat after me..."

After exchanging our vows, Hayate grins and delivers the final line.

Hayate "I now declare you Husband and Wife. Congratulations, you lucky dog. You may now make out with your bride in front of the witnesses."

Kuroki "That last line could have been delivered better."

I throw a zinger at Hayate before I turn to Akira and press my lips to hers. Her lips taste like pineapple with a hint of white wine. After breaking apart, I smile to her and speak.

Kuroki "Maybe it would have been better if I had been wearing the suit instead."

She blushes and grins like usual.

Akira "You may have been the one who proposed, but I'm wearing the pants in this relationship."

Kuroki "Is that so? I'm fine with being a househusband. You'll get to eat my food every day."

Akira "That's not such a bad idea."

I grin at her mischieviously.

Kuroki "But only if you prove it to me."

She blushes heavily, but smirks cockily as she gets a mischievous glint in her eye.

Akira "Gladly."

She grabs my face and kisses me, this time using her tongue. She breaks away after a few seconds. I make a gentle smile as she shyly looks into my eyes.

Kuroki "You win. For now."

Callum "[Uhh, this is super romantic and all, but-]"

Kuroki "[Oh, is that you, Callum? When did you get here?]"

Callum "[He didn't notice me!?]"

Lilly giggles for a moment, then faces her sister and opens her glazed-over blue eyes. With a gentle smile, she speaks.

Lilly "Congratulations, Akira, Kuroki. I hope you two enjoy your life together."

Kuroki "Thank you, Lilly."

I turn to Hayate.

Kuroki "I owe you, Hayate. If you even need something, anything, just call me."

Hayate "Much obliged. I'll leave you three here to celebrate."

He grins and whispers something into my ear before patting my shoulder and departing.

**BGM: Off**

_"Cherish her."_

I intend to do that. Wasn't it obvious?

* * *

Present

**BGM: Raindrops and Puddles**

Unfortunatly, I was in such a hurry, I forgot one thing.

That, of course, was her parents... oh boy...

It took six months for news to reach Akira's parents about our quiet little wedding. Her father wasn't too pleased that we went and got married.

That may make him sound like a bad guy, but hear me out. The reason he was upset about it was because he wasn't invited. There wasn't any 'you'll take her over my dead body' scene. A simple lecture from him over the phone was the worst we got. In the end, he still congratulated us, albeit reluctantly (probably because his wife was pressuring him during the conversation).

On a side note, the legend of Kurotori has completely died out. Black Key remains a best seller to this day, but I never released the sequel I was working on. Maybe it was for the best for me to give up on that career. I could always write stories for a local newspaper as a hobby.

Sadly, in the end, I had to inform Akane of my decision. She wasn't too terribly broken up over it, but she was still upset about it. She promised to keep it secret, which she did.

It got out anyway. Not because Akane or anyone else who knew about it told. It got out because Akira randomly decided to come to school one day. Some of the more observant students in the school noticed that both of our left ring fingers were occupied with identical rings. It wasn't too long before the Student Council caught wind of it and tracked me down to confirm it.

It turns out that Akira and Shizune are cousins, which would explain why Lilly and Shizune have such a tough rivalry going on. It's also how the news of our marriage got out.

But despite of everything that happened, I don't have any regrets about what I did.

I hear a small mumble and Akira slowly opens her eyes. For a moment, she looks up at me with a confused look on her face before remembering where she is. She smiles gently and reaches up to my face, pulling off the pair of blue-framed glasses.

Kuroki "Hey, come on. I'm going to need those."

I've done a pretty good job of laying low since graduation. My method was simple: Get a haircut, wear glasses and a contact, and don't buy anything that requires an ID. Instead of hiding my blue eye, I hid my brown eye instead. Sure enough, by the time I was done with altering my appearance, I looked like an entirely different person.

Of course, I'm not wearing the contact right now because we're the only ones here save for Michael (my bodyguard), and Lilly.

Akira "I want to see your face without the glasses once in a while."

Ah, you're probably wondering why the bodyguard, right?

Well, I was already eighteen when my father was put in prison, so I wasn't adopted back to my mother when the divorce was arranged. That means I'm the only one left in the main branch of the Machina family. That makes quite a few scopes try to find my head.

Kuroki "I feel like they've been growing on me."

And yes, I said main branch. There's another Machina family branch out there, and they've made it clear that they aren't happy with me taking over the company. I'm not talking about my Father's brother, I'm talking about his sister, Freya Machina. I've met her and her family a few times during a family reunion, and not all of them are bad. My young cousin Ron in particular. We share a similar mindset and get along with eachother very nicely. It made me wonder for a moment if he had been treated the same as me. However, when we went into the men's bath together with the rest of the male family members, I was the only one who had scars showing. The stares were pretty uncomfortable, but the reunion was still nice. The only thing that left a bitter taste in my mouth was when Freya started questioning me about how I was raised. I get the feeling she asked on purpose to make me uncomfortable.

Akira "You're a good looking man weather you wear them or not."

In addition to having a bodyguard, I went to a firing range in Germany with my Uncle Aiden for a while, where I learned the basics of disarming an armed assailant.

Enough reminiscing. I have some work I need to do on my laptop that needs to be finished by our arrival.

I gently take the glasses from Akira and push them onto her face.

Kuroki "Hmm. You're quite a looker yourself."

She blushes and puts the glasses in my shirt pocket before sitting up and giving me a small peck on the lips.

Akira "You flirter, you."

Kuroki "You're the one that started it. I have some work I need to do, so I'll be in the office for and hour or so."

She pouts at me.

Kuroki "Don't give me that look. I've spoiled you enough for a while, haven't I?"

Akira "I guess so..."

I kiss her forehead, stand up, and walk further into the back of the private luxury jet.

I sit down at the desk in the small office room and power up my laptop. I make sure airplane mode is on and open up some files that need work.

* * *

Roughly forty-five minutes have gone by, and I have gone through nearly all of the files. I had a few corrections to make here and there, but my work was quiet and peaceful.

A few minutes later, I finish my work with time to spare and decide to go through some of the photo albums I have stored on the PC.

Akira walks into the small office, closing the door behind her. She's wearing her usual black dress pants and white dress shirt. Instead of a suit jacket, she's wearing a black vest.

**BGM: Off**

Akira "...Are you finished?"

She looks hesitant as she asks, as if I might jump out of the chair and out a window, although at this height, that would be incredibly stupid. I can probably guess why she's acting like that.

Kuroki "I just got done. What's up?"

She reaches for the door and locks it while facing away from me. All of a sudden, the atmosphere in the room seems very unusual.

**BGM: To Become One**

Kuroki "...Akira. Tell me you aren't thinking... what I think you're thinking."

Akira "...So you aren't that dense after all."

Kuroki "How much wine did you drink?"

Akira "A glass or so. I think?"

She turns around to face me, her face fully flushed, and looking a little wobbly.

Kuroki "I would say you're a more than a little bit tipsy."

Akira "I don't see any problem here, though. We're married, aren't we?"

Kuroki "We were last time I checked."

She walks to me, using the wall as support and, despite my protests, sits in my lap while facing me.

Both of our faces are flushed now. Though Akira's blush is probably from the alcohol. I can smell the wine on her breath as she comes in for a kiss, which I willingly accept. I guess there's no escaping from this one. Might as well jump in headfirst.

I can tell by the taste of her lips that she's definitely gone past her limit with the wine. That's saying something.

I can feel her undoing my bowtie, followed by the buttons on my shirt. I slip the vest off over her head and start undoing her buttons as well.

I might add that she's grown in the bust area since last year, so she looks more feminine, even when wearing suits.

She runs her hand down my chest, which is now bare save for a few white scars. She removes my shirt altogether and tosses it onto the desk, me doing the same for her vest. I finish unbuttoning her dress shirt.

* * *

**Alright, to you perverts that are disappointed that you don't get to see the actual sex, I'm afraid I have to apologize in advance that you do not get to see any sex. I'm already balancing _very_ carefully on the line of the FanFiction law, and I don't want to fall off. (Because I don't want them to just delete the story or anything like that. I didn't pay any attention to the punishment for AO rated content, since I didn't really intend to write anything like that.)**

**If you want something really steamy and fuzzy like what's going on right now, you'll probably like the other stuff I write. Keep in mind that this stuff still isn't workplace safe, though.**

**Also, yes, I do like reading/writing erotic fiction (without the actual sex). Yes, that makes me a pervert, but I can control my lust, so there's no issue. **

**Remember: Everybody has dirty thoughts, and I'm no such exception. I won't blame you if you use your imagination to fill in the blanks here. ;)**

* * *

Getting re-dressed, I begin to help my tipsy wife with the buttons and the tie on her own formal wear.

Akira "Do you think Lilly noticed?"

Kuroki "Of course she noticed. This office is hardly soundproof. It's only five feet from the passenger area. Not to mention her sense of sound is much higher than a normal person's."

She blushes profusely.

Akira "...How am I supposed to face her?"

Kuroki "I doubt she'll bring it up. Just try to act natural."

I give her a long kiss before re-tying my bowtie and slipping my vest back on.

As Akira moves to the office door, I notice that she's still a little wobbly.

Feeling at least partially at fault for that, I scoop her up in my arms bridal style, much to her dismay.

Akira "Wh-what are you doing!?"

Kuroki "You can't walk properly. I'm you're husband, so I should carry you to your seat, right?"

Akira "It isn't that big of a deal..."

Kuroki "It is to me... So just pipe down and let me do my thing, princess."

She blushes even harder at being called princess, despite the pouting look on her face.

They were a lot of things about to happen that I wasn't aware of. Little did I know that I would end a family feud that had gone on for fifty years. And little did I know that people would want me dead for it.

* * *

**So, fuzz fuzz fuzz!**

**This fanfiction DOES have a romance tag, you know. It would be a shame if it didn't live up to it.**


	22. Akira: Part II

The Satou Lawfirm building sticks out among all of the other buildings in the distance. We're in a red SUV, since a black one would clearly look suspicious. The windows are, of course, bullet resistant and one-way.

Only a few more minutes until we're in the safety of the building.

Akira "Question."

Michael "Shoot."

Akira "Why are there machine guns and riot shields in the back? Also, why is there a shotgun hidden under my seat as well?"

Kuroki "In case of an attack. I received plenty of death threats even before taking over the business, so it's reasonable to suspect that someone will act on them."

Akira "I doubt anybody will-"

That's when I notice a glint of light reflect from the top of a apartment to my left. I grab Akira and duck in the nick of time.

_Crack!_

A dent the size of a penny is appears in the window next to me. The glass doesn't shatter, but a large spider-web pattern appears on it.

Kuroki "Floor it! We've been attacked!"

Our driver, who didn't give us his name, is already far ahead of me. The second he hears the sound of the .308 Lapua round impacting my window, he slams his foot on the petal. We accelerate instantly, lowering our ETA to roughly two minutes.

**ETA: 2:00**

**BGM: Kevin MacLeod - In a Heartbeat**

We round a corner, deciding to take a detour that takes us out of the sniper's sights.

However, I notice a motorcycle with two people slowly gaining on us. A few seconds after I notice them, the passenger pulls out a suppressed MAC-10 and trains it on the back window.

Our SUV has a wide-open space in the back that could probably hold three more people. However, the seats were removed in order to make room for the weaponry and riot shields.

I unbuckle and flip over the back seats. I grab a riot shield and the Beretta M9 I have hidden under my coat with my aftermarket assault vest before popping open one of the back doors and firing off two careful shots.

The first bullet impacts the passenger in the torso, but he only flinches slightly because of his bodyarmor. The second round, however, hits the front braking system, causing it to lock up instantly and throw both riders over the handlebars. I close the back door immediately and take a breath.

**ETA: 1:20**

Just five seconds later, another vehicle begins pursuing us. This one is a black SUV with tinted windows. The sunroof opens, and a man with an assault rifle pokes his head out. He brings his AUG A3 to his shoulder and begins pelting our SUV with bullets.

I grab the M240 LMG and open the sunroof while Michael opens his passenger window and uses his Vector SDP to pelt the windshield of the offending vehicle.

The man with the assault rifle ejects his magazine while still out of cover, and reaches for another magazine.

Big mistake.

I use this three-second time-frame to pop out of the sunroof and bring the sights of the LMG onto the black SUV. I pull the trigger and let loose a barrage of lead that pelts the vehicle without mercy. The man poking out of the sunroof abandons his AUG and ducks back into the SUV. I turn my aim to the tires and blow out both front tires, but the SUV keeps persisting. I reach into one of the storage compartments and withdraw an M84 stun grenade.

Kuroki "Watch your eyes, everyone!"

I stand up and poke out of the sunroof again. I pull the pin and toss the grenade. It hits the SUV's windshield and get's caught on a windshield wiper, of all things. The driver turns on the wipers in an attempt to knock the 'flashbang' off, but it goes off right after I duck back into our vehicle and close my eyes.

Since I was fairly far from the explosive reaction, I don't have too much ringing in my ears to hear my surroundings. I hear the sound of a car screeching to a halt, and look out to see the car completely halted in the middle of the street. I close the sunroof and check the remaining ammo in the M240L. There's only about twenty bullets left in the chain. My M9 isn't beefy enough to deal with armored vehicles or kevlar vests.

**ETA: 0:40**

We're only seconds from our destination. I can heard police sirens now. It's about time the cops took action.

I hear another screaming engine. No, two... three... four of them. I look back to see four matching black pickup trucks that are gaining. There are men in the truck beds armed with an wide variety of assault rifles and shotguns. I can feel my heart sinking as I grab the shotgun from underneath the seat. Akira stops me.

Akira "Kuroki, you've done enough! You're going to get yourself killed!"

Kuroki "If I sit here, we all die! These guys are after me to begin with, and I don't lose anyone else!"

She opens her mouth and tries to speak, but no words come out. I hand her a shield.

Kuroki "We're almost there. You'll need this once we stop there."

I crack open the rear window and poke the Benelli Nova's barrel out. I think to myself as the sights find the torso of the man that's holding an L85A1 assault rifle.

Do I have no other choice?

I get my answer when he spots the opening in the window and aims for me. The vehicle is merely a few feet away now. If he fires now, he'll not only hit me, but Akira as well.

I pull the trigger without further hesitation.

The man is flung back and out of the pickup bed. It seems to move in slow motion for me. He impacts with the ground... and is run over by one of the other trucks.

I force the unpleasant feeling of directly taking a life out of my head. I have to keep shooting.

With a deep breath, I pump the shotgun, chambering another twelve gauge shell. I aim again and fire, this time hitting a man in the gut. He's knocked out of the back and impacts hard with the ground.

I repeat. Pump. Aim. Fire. Pump. Aim. Fire.

**ETA: 0:10**

After I've downed two more men and disabled one vehicle, we reach our destination. I withdraw the shotgun from the window and mentally prepare myself for what I might have to do. I ready my riot shield and M9 as a cold feeling settles in the pit of my stomach.

Our car pulls up behind a barricade of other vehicles. There's a line of a few police officers and security guards taking cover behind their vehicles with their handguns drawn. We all exit the side closest to the lawfirm building as the three remaining hitman vehicles pull up.

I was hoping I wouldn't have to do this...

I turn around and lower my posture to absorb the impact of any rounds that find my shield.

Kuroki "Michael! Get her to safety! Once she's there, I'll come too!"

Akira "What the hell are you thinking, you idiot-!"

Her sentence is interrupted by Michael grabbing her and pulling her towards the building with a riot shield.

I bring my M9's sights to the second truck's driver and fire.

This time, aiming for the head.

I continue to fire, aiming for heads only. I'm not willing to take any risks in this situation.

Five... six...

As several shots collide with my shield, I continue to calmly squeeze off shots. One of the vehicles is now entirely unmanned, and a sickening crimson colored fluid is spattered on the windshield from the inside.

Seven...

Click.

The slide on my M9 locks back. Empty. I reach into my pocket and feel a familiar metallic handle. I pull it out and, with trained precision, open up a gold-plated butterfly knife. I lock the handle open and flip it over so that I'm holding it by the tip of the blade. I throw it at one of the retreating men. It lands in the back of his neck and sticks. He falls to the ground and stops moving.

**Music: Off**

The hitmen finally realize that they're outnumbered. Still firing, the remaining four men get into the two trucks and peel out, leaving in a flash. Several pursuit vehicles give chase, but I hear the sound of the truck engines scream unnaturally as what I assume to be nitrous oxide mixes with gasoline. As they drive off into the distance, I feel something impact my shoulder hard enough to wind me and knock me onto my back.

Driver "The VIP is hit! He's hit!"

After I finally manage to take in a breath and sit up, I push away the man trying to pick me up and wave him off. I feel the spot where the bullet impacted the metal armor plating in my vest. Thank god I decided to spend a little more money on an aftermarket vest, otherwise that shot would've killed me.

Kuroki "I'm okay. Just winded. Also in pain, but I can live with that."

A man with a medical box runs over, removes my vest and unbuttons my shirt. He examinines the wound and, after a moment of internal debate, nods to himself.

Doctor "You'll probably have a bruise for a while. It'll hurt, but you'll live without any permanante damage. You can probably treat this yourself once you're inside."

I button up my shirt and re-strap my vest before lookng around. I notice a guard lying on his side with an officer crouching down next to him.

Kuroki "I think you're needed over there."

**BGM: Caged Heart**

I run over to the guard with the doctor by my side. I turn him face-up as he groans in pain. A bullet wound right over his heart. He's lucky to have even survived this long. I grab my handkerchief and press it firmly to the wound, resulting in a loud yelp of pain. Blood quickly stains my handkerchief, followed swifly by the sleeve of my white dress shirt, though I couldn't care less about the stains at the moment.

The doctor leaves for a brief moment and comes back with a larger medical box.

Medic "I need some room, but keep pressure on the wound!"

Guard "I'm not going to make it, doc..."

Medic "You don't know that yet. Pressure!"

The doctor reachs into the box and grabs a pair of large tweezer-like objects. I back off a little with the handkerchief to give him room to access the wound. I look down at the guard's name tag.

Kuroki "Marcus, is it? Do you have any family?"

He looks confused for a moment, then quickly responds with a nod.

Marcus "A son and a daughter... Ages thirteen and sixteen. My son... is working on a... project for science class..."

He forces the words out between painful gasps as the doctor removes a shred of copper from the wound. I look at the tiny shred of metal in horror the second I realize what it means.

Hollowpoints. They were using hollowpoint rounds. The reason I survived was because of my aftermarket vest. I grind my teeth in frustration and turn my head back to Marcus.

Marcus "I promised him that... I would come check it out. I usually take time off... to spend time with the kids."

Kuroki "What's are their names?"

Marcus "My daughter's name is... Hope. My son's name... is Kyle."

Kuroki "You've got to keep that promise. You've got family to take care of."

He smiles and looks at me.

Marcus "Kuroki... wasn't it? For a CEO, you... sure are... a good kid, you know that? When you see my kids, tell... them that I'm sorry I couldn't spend more... time... with them."

He heaves another labored breath, then stops abruptly.

My thought processes all stop at once. I'm left staring into the man's eyes as the life suddenly leaves them. The doctor grabs my hand gently and lifts it off the man's chest. He taps me on the shoulder to get my attention and shakes his head. He takes his hand from my shoulder and uses it to close the man's eyes.

He hands me my bloodstained handkerchief and stands up. I look back at the mess infront of the barricade of law-enforcement vehicles. All I can feel is bitterness towards the hitmen lying on the ground, as well as the ones that got away.

I remove my coat and lay it gently on the man that I was speaking to just a moment ago. I wordlessly stand up and walk to the building.

Before I walk inside, I turn back to look at the covered man. A mental image of his uniform's name tag stays in my head.

Marcus Bartee.

A name that will be burned into my memory for the rest of my life.

* * *

**BGM: Moment of Decision**

I walk into the conference room on the second floor, where Akira, Lilly, and their father, Kai, are staring out at the scene below. Ambulances with their lights on, papamedics tending to wounded and covering bodies, several officers talking to the lawfirm's security guards. It's a disaster, to say the least. Akira turns to me and runs up to me, noticing the blood on me.

Kuroki "It's okay. It... doesn't belong to me."

She wraps her arms around me tightly, burying her face in my chest.

Akira "You moron! What the hell were you thinking!?"

She yells as me while continuing to constrict me with her grip.

Kuroki "Uh, Akira? You're pressing on my wound."

She jumps away like I suddenly caught on fire. She looks me up and down before noticing the hole in my vest.

Kuroki "The vest caught the bullet, but I'll have a nasty bruise for a while."

I unstrap the vest from my body, resulting in it falling to the floor with a dull 'thunk', and pull Akira back into my arms.

Kuroki "Are you alright?"

Akira "I'm fine... Just a little upset at the moment."

Kuroki "I'm sorry."

I mean those words. I would probably go nuts if she had done the same thing I had just moments ago. I'd better be more considerate of her feelings before doing that again.

Kuroki "Next time something happens, which I hope it doesn't, I'll think things through more carefully."

Akira "Good."

Kai "Kuroki, thank you for taking such good care of my daughter."

Kuroki "I promised to do that the moment I put a ring on her finger, sir. I don't break promises."

Kai "You can drop the formalities, son. This isn't business right now. Members of my family have been attacked."

Kuroki "I understand, dad."

He turns to me with an slightly amused smile, but I can tell he's just trying to hide his worry.

Kai "Good thing you still have a sense of humor after all that."

I clear my throat and stop joking. This isn't the time.

Kuroki "...Kai, one of your guards is dead."

Kai "Yes, I saw. You tried to save him, didn't you?"

I nod.

Kuroki "Hollowpoints. His vest is the only reason he survived impact."

Kai "I see. Who... was it?"

Kuroki "Marcus Bartee."

He stiffens for a moment before responding. I can hear Lilly and Akira gasp.

Kai "I... I see. Marcus... it was."

Kuroki "I'm sorry, Kai. I couldn't do anything."

Kai "No, no. I saw you push away your own treatment for the sake of another. There's no reason to be sorry. Rather, it should be me apologizing to him. He asked for today off, but I requested him to be here for your arrival."

I can feel Akira sobbing into my chest. Lilly remains facing the window, but I can see her shaking slightly.

Kuroki "Were you and him close?"

Kai "He's been a good family friend for nearly fifteen years. I hired him when he found Akira lost wandering around the amusement park we were visiting many years ago. That's when I found out he was ex-SAS."

I tighten my arms around Akira to comfort her as she continues to cry. Lilly has her head lowered now, and I can hear her crying now too.

They lost someone who's been a part of their life since as far back as they can remember. The sound of my wife and sister-in-law crying is upsetting to me. I stroke the back of Akira's head gently. It's all I can do to help. I know since I've been through the very same thing. Right now, I just need to hold her. No words, just hold her.

I hear the door open behind me, and a voice speaking in fluent Japanese.

Blue-haired boy "{Aki-nee! Lilly-nee! I just now heard! Are you alright!?}"

I turn my head to see a young blue-haired boy who seems to resemble someone I knew from Yamaku... also wearing thigh-highs.

Kuroki "...Who's the mini Shizune?"

Akira lets out some shaky laughter at my poorly timed joke, removing her head from my chest before speaking to the boy in the same language.

Akira "{Hey, Hideaki. Don't worry, I'm fine...}"

The boy known as Hideaki doesn't believe her for a moment, he runs up to us and studies me before speaking again.

Hideaki "{Why are you crying?}"

Akira "{Marcus... is dead, Hideaki.}

His eyes widen and fill with tears.

Hideaki "{No... You're joking, right!?}"

She shakes her head. Hideaki just stares at the ground quietly, refusing to let the tears spill over.

Akira breaks off from me and goes to comfort her sister. That's when I see Shizune standing by the door, staring in. She's doing a poor job of hiding her shock. A another familiar girl with bubblegum pink hair runs into the room like a bullet. This time, Misha doesn't bounce cheerfully. Her body language right now indicated "serious business", which seems reall out-of-character for her.

Misha doesn't have her hair in drills anymore, and I notice that her hair is only two-thirds pink. The rest of her long straight hair is a dark brown color.

I see that Shizune has also visibly changed since Yamaku. Her hair is quite a bit longer, and her glasses are different too.

The duo walks into the office, and Shizune begins to sign.

Shizune "What happened?"

Misha "What happened?"

Kuroki "We were attacked on our way here. They gave chase, and we lost an important person."

Hideaki "{Shizu-nee. We lost Marcus.}"

After Misha translates, Shizune turns to me with a serious look on her face. She motions for Misha not to translate for her.

Shizune "Is this true?"

Kuroki "Yes. I saw him."

Her eyes flick to my sleeves, then to the bloodied handkerchief on the table, then back to me.

Shizune "I understand."

She turns around and walks out of the door. Misha doesn't follow.

Misha "Are you alright?"

Kuroki "A little sore. A bit pissed at the people who followed me here. Otherwise, I'm fine."

Misha "Not that. You... saw someone die in front of you."

Kuroki "I'll... be fine."

Kai "Misha, was it? You interpret for my niece, correct?"

Misha "Yes, Mister Satou."

Kai "I see. You should go comfort her. I can tell she was upset."

Gruff voice "And how exactly do you know that?"

A man with a cheap-looking Hawaiian shirt and a pair of designer jeans walks in. He has long blue hair that's fairly messy, and a thick beard on his chin.

Kuroki "Who are you?"

Jigoro "Hakamichi Jigoro. Show some respect, boy, I wasn't talking to you. So, Kai. I come to visit my nieces, and find out that they've been attacked because of some troublemaker you've taken in."

I stand between the beefy-looking blue-haired man and my father-in-law.

Kuroki "Your intelligence is false. A man has lost his life, so now is not the time to be pointing fingers, _old man_."

His features twist into anger, and he speaks in a dangerous tone.

Jigoro "Is this him? That new CEO you're partnering with? He needs to learn to respect his elders."

Kai "That's enough, Jigoro. This is Kuroki Machina. We aren't partnering for financial reasons. This is a family thing."

Jigoro "What do you-"

Akira "He's my husband."

Akira clarifies for him across the room. The man stares at me and frowns for a moment before turning to Akira.

Jigoro "What were you thinking? This guy looks like he's skin-and-bones."

Akira "Shut up. If you really cared, you would have come visited us while we were still in Japan."

Jigoro flinches when Akira spits those words at him. He glares back to me for a moment.

Jigoro "Who died?"

Kai "Marcus Bartee."

The blue-haired man actually looks shocked for a moment before he takes a deep breath and shouts, enraged, at Kai.

Jigoro "You _bastard_! He was supposed to have today off! What the _hell_ was he doing here!?"

Kai "I asked him to work today."

Kai calmly states to his shouting brother.

Jigoro "What the hell were you thinking!? Why did you ask him to come in today!?"

Kai "Because I thought that he would be needed in case Kuroki was attacked."

He turns to me and bellows in my face.

Jigoro "You! Why were they after you!? Who did you piss off!?"

Kuroki "Even before I took over as CEO, I got death threats. I haven't had to defend myself from people like that until today."

Jigoro "_Liar!_"

Kuroki "Why would I lie when the lives of my family, _unfortunately including you_, are on the line?"

The man shuts his mouth with an enraged look remaining on his face.

Kuroki "I will repeat myself again. Now isn't the time to point fingers. Put aside your unreasonable feud long enough to find the person who's actually responsible for his death."

Michael "I agree. They might not be focused on Kuroki alone."

Michael, my bodyguard, walks into the room while removing his vest.

Michael "They could be after Akira as well. But that's besides the point. My colleague and friend is dead. I don't hold Kuroki or Kai accountable for his death. I want to find the bastards who are, though, and if we sit here and argue, we won't get anywhere."

Kuroki "Where do we start?"

Michael "We can't start until these two agree to put their grudges to rest."

Jigoro "...Fine. You'll have my support. I can work with you if it means keeping my nieces and nephew safe."

Jigoro holds out his hand reluctantly with a bitter look on his face.

After a moment, Kai hesitantly reaches out and takes it.

Jigoro "Right. Now then, I'm assuming you have some idea of who would target one or both of you."

Kuroki "More than an idea. I know who did it."

Jigoro "Spit it out. Time is wasting."

**BGM: Off**

I reach into the backpack I've been carrying for the past twelve hours and pull out the barrel of a disassembled rifle. I turn to the other people in the room and give them a bitter grin.

Kuroki "Freya Machina. Matriarch of the second Machina branch."

* * *

**Well, that was hardly a surprise. I think some of you who read Part I saw this coming.**

**The music I put in the chase scene does not belong to me. It is a piece made by Kevin MacLeod from Royalty Free Music. KS doesn't really have any action-oriented soundtracks appropriate for chase scenes.**

**Prepare for badass guns, and ass kicking in the next chapter, as well as a team comprised of playing cards. (You'll get what I mean when you see the next chapter.**


	23. Akira: Part III (Finale)

**New York, 01:10**

Standing on top of the skyscraper, I gaze down at the warehouse that's roughly five kilometers away. It's incredibly windy at this height, making it difficult to pull off any kind of marksmanship with my current firearm.

I look through my spotting scope and make a mental note of the guard changes. There are several men dressed as security guards surrounding the warehouse. The vests they are wearing aren't the kind that are standard issue for guards. The thing that gives them away, though is the weaponry they carry.

The most an average security guard is equipped with is a handgun, pepper spray, and a taser. These guys are decked out with military grade assault rifles and SMGs. I can see a sniper barrel poking out of each guard tower surrounding the warehouse. This has to be the place.

'Joker' "Ace, this is Joker. Our intel is most likely correct. These guys are armed to the teeth. They can't possibly be security guards."

'Ace' "Seconding that, Joker. Proceed as planned?"

'Joker' "Fire at will, Ace. King, this is Joker. What's the status of the dive zone?"

'King' "Joker, you're clear to dive. There aren't any obstructions in the air tonight."

'Joker' "Understood. Air is clear. Now commencing operation Cold Steel."

**Music: Kevin MacLeod - Movement Proposition**

I ensure my suppressed M395 DMR is strapped firmly to my back before jumping headfirst off of the skyscraper. I spread my arms and legs as I fall. An artificial cloth membrane stretches between my arms and legs, letting me glide silently through the pitch-black New York sky.

'Joker' "I am now en-route to current objective area. ETA is five minutes."

'Ace' "Good luck, Joker. We'll mop up the guys over here."

* * *

A few minutes later, I see a black van with plates matching a recently stolen vehicle pass right through my objective area.

'Joker' "Joker to all units. I've spotted the target vehicle. Sending my camera feed now."

'Queen' "Stolen plates, huh. It's travelling the same route that intel told us about. Looks like that's it. Pursue it and meet up with Jack's unit near the target's escape point. I'll wait outside the escape point with an extraction vehicle."

'Joker' "Understood."

Another couple minutes, and I hear a familiar voice in my left ear.

'Jack' "Joker. I have eyes on. The target is about to enter an allyway just off of the next road."

'Joker' "Jack, tell me real quick. Was the escape route an anonymous tip?"

'Jack' "From what I heard, yeah. You think they leaked it intentionally?"

'Joker' "Just a gut feeling."

'Jack' "Yeah, your gut has saved me more than once, so I'll listen to it this time. What's the plan?"

'Joker' "Have your men disable any vehicles that seem to be loitering around with tinted windows. Also keep an eye out for any persons of interest."

'Jack' "Sounds like a solid plan."

I land on a rooftop that's across the street from the alleyway they pulled into. The vehicle is just sitting there, waiting for someone to attack it. I strip my parachute and wingsuit, revealing a combat vest that has a stitch mark on the shoulder. I turn off the safety on my DMR and crouch down behind a nearby AC unit. Peeking out, I notice that one of the guys drinking a coffee below me seems to be watching the alleyway intently.

'Joker' "Hey, Jack. You have eyes on me still?"

'Jack' "Yeah. You're on top of the Starbucks that's looking into the alleyway."

'Joker' "Male. Late twenties. Tan complexion. Blonde. Drinking a coffee right below me. He seems to be watching the alleyway."

'Jack' "Oh... You're right. Good eye. I nearly missed him. Should I call in backup?"

'Joker' "They're all busy setting up the killzone."

'Jack' "Shit... Well, it's up to us, then. I'll go in. You cover."

'Joker' "Try to look shady. That'll get their attention."

'Jack' "Roger that."

I poke my rifle around the corner and keep it trained on the van while scouting the street below me. Jack takes my words to heart. He walks into the ally while looking all around him as if every person in his immediate area could pull knife on him at any second.

The blonde man sipping Starbucks quickly sets down his drink and whispers something into his hand.

As if on queue, my radio lights up with reports from Jack's unit. Every person that was smoking a joint a moment ago had crushed their fresh-lit cigarettes and are now on the move to Jack's position.

'Joker' "Clever."

I mutter to myself as Jack pulls a knife from one pocket... and can of spray paint from the other. He puts his hood up and starts spraying onto the side of the van just as five men walk into the ally. Everyone in the group pulls a gun out of their pocket.

'Joker' "Not clever enough, though."

Since Jack is still down there, he's in the line of fire. I have to count on him to remove himself from it.

'Jack' "Fuck da police! Ya'll never take me 'live, bra!"

A very convincing accent. He sounds like a graffiti artist. In fact, it's so convincing, it makes the men lower their guns in hesitation. This give Jack the few precious he needs to stab the tires out and run away. While running, he throws the can of spray-paint behind him and let's out a loud 'wooooooooo!'.

'Joker' "I take it back. Quite clever, indeed."

I put my eye back to the scope and put the crosshairs on the first two.

'Joker' "Don't line up, now. Bullets are quite cheap nowadays. Compared to lives, anyway."

I pull the trigger.

A quiet gunshot rings out. The bullet travels through the head of the first man and hits the second man. That's two with one shot. I change my aim slightly and quickly take out the last three.

Several people are looking around, confused from the sound of the gunshots. Since the sound is fairly non-threatening, most of the people assume that someone's just setting off fireworks for a prank. I pull my large backpack off and stuff my DMR into it after turning the safety on. I hook a clip onto the rooftop's guardrail and jump off, using my climbing rope to slow the fall.

A few people give me strange looks since I'm wearing a mask to conceal my features. I shoot the blonde man a gaze and run into the alleyway. The man knocks over his coffee and jolts upright, running at me like a madman. I disappear into the darkness of the ally, and he follows me.

That was very stupid of him.

**Music: Off**

* * *

'Joker' "Speak."

**BGM: Stride**

The man is silent. He stares at me while grinning through the gag.

'Joker' "There are lives at stake here, you know. If killing you means I can save one of them, I'll do it without hesitation."

I pull my suppressed M9 out and shoot him in the shin, resulting in a muffled scream from my prisoner.

'Joker' "I'm rather pressed for time right now. I know who you work for, so just tell me where you were supposed to drag me when you tried to abduct me."

Blonde man "Mmm! mmm!"

I pull the gag from his mouth.

Blonde man "We were supposed send a signal and have another vehicle pick you up."

'Joker' "Now then..."

I hold out the radio I took from him.

'Joker' "You're going to send the signal. What frequency?"

Blonde man "Will you let me go?"

'Joker' "I'll let you go, but my friends are going to treat your wound. Only if you send the signal. Oh, one more thing."

Blonde man "W-what?"

'Joker' "If you screw this up, Taylor, I will kill you. And then I'll tell your daughter, Sarah, about how you kill people for a living."

Blonde man "Why would you drag my daughter into this?"

'Joker' "Because if you do screw this up, someone important to me will likely die. It's only fair I do the same thing to you, right?"

Blonde man "...I see. Channel five. Hold it up to my ear, I'll give the signal."

I hold the radio up to his ear after switching the channel.

Blonde man "I have some strawberries for sale. Would you like to buy some?"

After a few seconds pass by, I hear a voice respond.

Radio "Sounds good. I'll come pick them up right now."

'Joker' "Good. Queen, take him to the safe area and get him treated. Jack, I'll need your help. Put on these clothes."

I point to the pile of clothing I stripped off of one of the less bloody bodies while I put on a pair of handcuffs.

'Jack' "Do I have to?"

I nod as I push a finger to my earpiece.

'Joker' "Hey, King, I hope you have the situation over at their base of operations under control."

'King' "Yeah. Everything's set. I know she'll bring you here."

'Joker' "Of course. You know how her head works."

* * *

A black SUV with tinted windows pulls up, and the back door opens. I'm shoved inside by Jack, who follows me with a gun pointed at me the whole time.

'Jack' "Go."

I'm wearing the cuffs behind my back as I sit down. I'm still wearing my mask as well, since none of the men have bothered to pull it off. The vehicle accelerates, heading right in the direction I expect them to. After we pass through a security gate or two, the car comes to a stop inside of an illegal drug complex disguised as a warehouse.

Driver "We're here. Get out."

'Jack' "Move it."

I get pushed out of the van. On our way to the warehouse, Jack turns his weapon on the other men. Several supressed gunshots ring out in the night, followed by the sound of bodies hitting the ground. I remove my handcuffs and walk into the warehouse with Jack in tow.

As I enter, I hear a familiar voice reach my ears.

Freya "Oh my. Just this one?"

Freya Machina. A slender woman in her late thirties with long strawberry blonde hair and scarlet eyes. I'll just be quiet and let Jack do the talking. I doubt that she pays any attention to what her employees look like.

'Jack' "There were others. He said he was the leader."

Freya "Right. Tell me now, 'Leader', Where are your men?"

I remain quiet.

Just a little longer...

Freya "Kill him."

'Joker' "You want to know?"

She looks at me with an uninterested look on her face before glaring at me as if I stranded a penguin in a desert. (Alright! That's the last time I'll use it! I swear!)

Freya "...Take your mask off. I want to see your face."

I comply, reaching for my mask and undoing the complex strapping while simultaniously removing my contact lens. When I take the mask off, I hear a gasp from Freya. A brown eye that was covered by a blue contact stares at her.

Kuroki "Hello, Aunt Freya. You wanted to know where my men were, right?"

After a couple of seconds, she regains her composure and glares at me again while pulling a .22 caliber pistol from her jacket.

Freya "I'll kill you regardless, so you might as well take it to the grave."

Kuroki "Right behind you."

Suddenly, every guard in the warehouse, excluding Jack, gets their head pierced by crossbow bolts. I push the barrel of the .22 compact off to the side, away from myself and Jack. I follow up the move by twisting the gun from her grip, and swiftly moving myself behind her. I pull back my foot, and give her a nice hard kick to the ass, forcing her to stumble away from me.

I reach lazily into my pocket with my free hand and pull out a stick of bubblegum, tossing it into my mouth before speaking.

Kuroki "You'll kill me, huh? You guys get that on video?"

Cameraphone "_I'll kill you regardless, so you might as well-_"

'Jack' "Yep. Got a good shot of her face and her gun. The best lawyer in the world wouldn't help her if a judge saw this."

Now turning around, she has an 'oh shit!' look as she faces me.

Kuroki "Now then. Is there anything you would like to say before you're arrested?"

Freya "...How?"

Kuroki "First, I asked a favor of someone close to you for information regarding your base of operations. From there, it was as simple as taking the bait you had set. I knew you were going to bring me here, so I fixed the location to give me the advantage. We actually had this place taken over thirty minutes before you arrived."

Freya "That's impossible..."

Kuroki "Apparently not. Now, if you're done asking your questions, I have a few to ask you myself. First of all, were you the one who attacked me on the way to the Satou lawfirm?"

She goes silent, refusing to talk. I sigh and shoot the cheap pistol at her feet. She shreaks and jumps.

Freya "Yes! It was me! Jesus Christ!"

Kuroki "Why?"

Freya "It was because you were partnering with them. If you didn't, there wouldn't have been a problem, but several... groups... don't want two growing corporations with high profits and potential to team up. They hired my company to get rid of you and, if possible, Akira as well."

Kuroki "One more question. If you somehow survive this whole thing, what would you do?"

Freya "...I would hunt you and Akira to the end of my days."

Kuroki "I see. Ron was supposed to take over from you, and because we got along so well, you didn't think he would be able to kill me."

A wicked smile appears on her face. That answers my question.

I pop the tiny magazine from the .22 compact and eject the live round in the chamber. I remove the slide and toss the two pieces of the handgun in different directions. I reach into my pocket and draw a familiar gold-plated butterfly knife. Like I did yesterday, I flick the knife around my fingers, opening the case and exposing the double-sided serrated blade.

Kuroki "I'll let you handle this, King."

**BGM: Off**

I hand the blade to King, who shows up out of nowhere and accepts it with a quiet 'thank you' as he removes his mask. I turn away from Freya as King walks to her.

Freya "No, Ronald, don't-!"

The sentence is interrupted by her windpipe suddenly being cut, followed by the sound of blood spattering and someone collapsing to the floor.

Silence envelopes the warehouse, only disturbed by the sound of footsteps that are coming towards me. I hold out my hand silently, and another hand deposits a gold-plated knife in my open palm. I look down at the blade, taking in the sight of blood on gold. I hear the quiet voice of one of the few blood-related people I can call family.

**BGM: Painful History**

Ron "I wish things could have been settled differently."

Kuroki "That makes two of us."

I turn to face my cousin. Red hair, red eyes, and red blood spattered on his face. Almost a spitting image of his mother, save for the blood. He looks back at the body on the floor and a look of bitterness makes it's way onto his face.

Ron "It's... vexing. I hated her for what she did, but not so much I wanted to kill her."

Kuroki "You're not to blame, Ron."

Ron "I guess it's over now, huh?"

Kuroki "Mostly. The cleanup crew will be here soon enough. Freya Machina will be considered 'missing' for the next seven years. Few will know what happened here."

The person known as 'Jack' takes off his hat, revealing my bodyguard, Michael.

Michael "Are you gonna be alright, kid?"

Ron closes his eyes for a moment and nods slightly.

Ron "I'll be fine. Thank you, Michael. Thank you, Kuroki. Pass my thanks to everyone else. If you ever need a hand, give me a call."

Michael "I had my own reasons for wanting her dead. It's thanks to you we were able to track her down."

Michael gives Ron a handshake before walking out of the door as several men wearing white cleaning suits walk in and load Freya's body onto a stretcher.

Kuroki "Hey, Ron. Why don't you come over sometime? I'm sure Lilly would be happy to 'see' you again."

He looks me in the eye briefly before snorting.

Ron "Funny. That sounds good, but it'll have to wait a while. My mind is full of too many negative things right now."

I give my cousin a pat on the back and smile at him.

Kuroki "Thank you, Ron. Akira's safer now because of you."

Ron "No problem. We're family after all, right? We've got to help eachother out."

He returns the smile before turning and leaving with his hand raised in farewell.

* * *

**Scotland, Inverness. A couple hours later.**

**BGM: Comfort**

I'm currently bathing in a tub full of lukewarm water. It's usually easier for me to think when it's quiet. Ron wasn't the only one left with things to think about.

I hear a knock on the door, dragging me from my thoughts. I turn to the door and call out.

Kuroki "Occupied."

Akira "It's me."

Right away, several dirty thoughts fill my head... I used to be more disciplined than this. Of course, that was before I married Akira.

Kuroki "What's up?"

Akira "Mind if I come in?"

Let's see... If I say no, it's a fifty-fifty chance that she'll enter anyway. If she does join me, the odds my bath turning into a steamy one are so high it's scary.

It takes me a moment to realize that she's already opened the door.

Kuroki "Did something happen?"

Akira "Nothing."

She responds bluntly, then starts stripping in front of me.

Kuroki "Hey, Akira."

Akira "Yeah?"

Kuroki "What are you doing?"

Akira "Getting undressed. I can hardly take a bath with you clothed, right?"

Kuroki "I was afraid you would say that."

Akira "What's wrong with me taking a bath with my husband?"

Kuroki "Nothing. It's just that the last time you took a bath with me, we ended up staying in for quite a while."

She stares at me for a moment before grinning.

Akira "When did you get such a dirty mind?"

Kuroki "I think I developed it about a month after we got married. You know, after the first time we bathed together?"

She walks over to the bathtub, steps in, and sits down... right between my legs.

Normally, I can be very calm, but my very attractive wife is sitting naked in my lap. Any normal man would have jumped her the second she sat down. I almost consider doing the same.

Kuroki "Care to explain?"

Akira "I'm teasing you as revenge for the flight here."

Her spoiled tone, which I normally manage to brush off, is what sends me over the edge. I lean forward and wrap both of my arms around her midsection, putting my mouth to her ear and whispering to her.

Kuroki "You know I don't like being teased."

Akira "Quite bold aren't you? You used to be as cold as ice. What brought about he sudden change?"

I blown gently on her ear from behind. She shivers and places her hands over my arms, rubbing them soothingly. I then whisper into her ear.

Kuroki "You did. You do know that you are a very attractive woman, right? I have my limits, and you know them. You came in here knowing full well what would happen, right?"

Akira "How did you guess?"

She giggles at me in victory as I kiss her on the back of the neck.

Kuroki "It was obvious. I've known you for a good part of my life, so I know a decent amount of your tricks by now. But it would be nice to have just a normal bath every now and then."

She leans into me with a worried look on her face.

Akira "You been acting strange since yesterday. Are you alright?"

She saw right through it, huh? Either she's gotten good at reading my thoughts, or I've gotten bad at hiding my thoughts.

Kuroki "...I'm fine. It's just... the man that died, Marcus. To everyone here, he was family, yet I barely knew him. I can help but think that if I had done something different, I would've had the chance to know him as family as well."

She stiffens when I mention Marcus. When I finish my sentence, she silently turns around and gives me a peck on the lips.

Akira "There's nothing you could've done, Kuroki. The doctor said that you tried to help, despite being injured yourself. That alone proves that you're a good person. Failing to save a life doesn't make you a bad person. Trying to save a life is what matters."

Kuroki "But I-"

She turns herself around, facing me while sitting down in my lap inside a cramped bathtub. She presses her lips against mine before I have the chance to argue. I feel my mind begin to go fuzzy as our tongues wrestle violently against eachother. After she breaks of the kiss, she looks me dead in the eyes, and says:

Akira "I'm pregnant."

Kuroki "...What?"

...I guess that's one way to change the topic.

* * *

Laying in our bed in our new apartment, I hear the sound of heavy breathing. I turn over to Kuroki's side to see him with a distressed look on his sleeping face. I scoot over to him under the sheets and stroke his cheek gently as I rest my head on his chest.

It seems to work. His breathing slows down to a normal sleeping pace. His features, previously twisted by distress, are replaced by a look of peacefulness.

I let out an involuntary giggle as I watch his sleeping face. I grab his hand and bring it to my belly, where a small child grows inside of me.

I never thought in all of my life that I would be a mother, much less a wife. I remember the very day that he proposed to me. I had just made a bet that I would never get hitched, too. At the time, it seemed like the best proposal one could receive. Looking back on it, though, I acted just like a post-pubescent teenage girl when he asked "Will you marry me?" with that shy look on his face. I've seen that look on him several times during our marriage, like when I visited him at school, when I visited Riku with him, when my parents visited, and most recently, when I told him "I'm pregnant" out of nowhere.

I had my suspicions when my period didn't show up this month. I took a test before we departed from in Japan, which revealed that I was, in fact, pregnant.

Kuroki "Thinking about something?"

Kuroki is looking at me with a sleepy look on his face.

Akira "Just thinking about what we should name the baby."

He smiles gently. It's different from his normal sly smile. It's a shy joyous smile that spreads warmth through my body every time I see it.

Kuroki "You want an English name, or a Japanese one?"

I grin at him in return.

Akira "You decide."

Kuroki "If it's a girl, lets name her Mashiro."

I look at him and smile softly.

Akira "Sounds like a good name to me."

He nods slightly, then drifts almost instantly back to sleep. I rest my head on his chest as it rises and falls, letting sleep take me. As I drift off, I think to myself.

_What will we name it if it's a boy?_

* * *

**Frosty here, I hope you enjoyed reading "Old Bonds and New Experiences" as much as I did. I got so far from the original material's base that it felt like regular fiction, rather than fanfiction.**

**Credits for "Movement Proposition" go to Kevin MacLeod at Royalty Free Music.**

**Also, Thank you all for being patient with me.**

**And, as always,**

**stay frosty, my friends! I'll see you in another arc.**


	24. From the Author

Hello everyone, Frosty here.

I know it's been a while since I've written Akira's arc, so I want to let you guys know something.

I'm working on a short Visual Novel project with someone for a while, so I'm going to put this story on unofficial hiatus.

Don't be discouraged! I plan on coming back to it, although my plans for it might change a little, I plan on finishing the two other arcs I promised you guys.

I'll be gone for a while. I'll come back when I've finished the project, or if the project fails (which I hope it doesn't :l).

I'll see you all around!

Stay frosty, my friends. I will return.


	25. It was inevitable

Guys, calm down. I know what the title of the chapter says, but don't panic, please! I'm not shutting down!

This is an important notification. In case you all haven't noticed, some of my chapters are **very suggestive**, and skirt right along the line of the FF law. I don't want to get the entire story taken down or anything, so I just wanted to let you all know that I will be moving this story to the "**M**" section in about a week.

I tried to keep the story child-friendly, but let's be honest here:  
1) **I am a sexually frustrated teenager.**  
2) The original story was, in fact, adult only. I read it as a **sexually frustrated teenager.**  
3) I did, in fact, write the sex scenes which haven't been uploaded to the site, **because I'm a sexually frustrated teenager.**  
4) I want to write erotic fiction... **because I am a sexually frustrated teenager.**

Alright... I know that not all of these are reasonable... reasons, I guess. I'm moving it to M for more flexibility, and **because I'm a sexually frus**\- Okay I'll stop now.

BOTTEM LINE: I'm moving both of my KS fanfiction stories to the M section, so you'll have to turn the M filter on to find it (unless you've favorited or followed it, in which case: THANK YOU).

I'll be writing! I can't promise you another chapter soon, though...

Sorry for the inconvenience - Frosty

P.S: Yes, I'm being serious when I say that I'm sexually frustrated. It's not my fault... ( TAT)

EDIT: I'll also be updating my story's description to something a bit more eyecatching. I'll also be tagging the OC/Akira as a couple to make it easier for the Akira fans out there to find. God knows that Akira deserves to be more than a side-character...


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